Murkomen blames parents for rising student indiscipline, condemn All Saints Cathedral attack

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has today blamed parents for the rising cases of indiscipline among learners, arguing that many have abdicated their responsibilities and left their children to be raised by mobile phones, television and social media.

Speaking during a service at AIC Plainsview South B Church earlier today, Murkomen said parents were increasingly shifting blame to teachers, the government and security agencies instead of taking responsibility for the upbringing of their children.

“Parents should ask themselves whether they are doing to their children what was done to them. Part of the problem we are experiencing today is the failure of current parents to create time for their children. They have left children to be raised by phones and TVs,” he said.

The CS also condemned Friday’s disruption of a post-budget dialogue forum at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi by suspected goons, terming the incident unfortunate and unacceptable.

“There was an unfortunate incident that happened at All Saints Cathedral. They were captured on CCTV, and the DCI have arrested a number of them, and we will take them to court,” he said.

Murkomen confirmed that several suspects had already been arrested and pledged that all those involved would be brought to justice.

His remarks came as the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a blatant desecration of a place of worship and demanding the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

The church body questioned why armed individuals would target a forum organized by civil society groups to discuss the 2026/27 national budget and warned that public officials implicated in such actions would eventually be held personally accountable.

Murkomen further called for civility in national politics, urging leaders to desist from inflammatory rhetoric and ethnic mobilisation that could undermine national cohesion.

The Cabinet Secretary noted that the misconduct being witnessed in schools was a reflection of failures at home, insisting that the government could not take over the role of disciplining children.

“The government cannot discipline your students; that is your responsibility. Parents still assume that current teachers are the same as old teachers. These are Gen Z teachers; you have left your children to Gen Z teachers to raise fellow Gen Zs, yet you do not want your children to be punished,” he said.

Murkomen said teachers had largely retreated to their core mandate of teaching and could no longer be expected to play parental roles, adding that responsible parenting and guidance from religious institutions offered the best solution to the crisis.

On security matters, the CS assured Kenyans that the country remained safe, announcing that the government was restructuring Nairobi’s security architecture to address emerging urban threats.

He revealed that the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit would be launched in July and equipped with additional vehicles, equipment and specialised training to tackle security challenges in the capital and other major urban centres.

“Our country is safe now and we have made great progress. This July we will commence establishing the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit to deal with unique challenges emerging in the city,” he said.

Murkomen identified gangs and criminal groups as the country’s biggest remaining security challenge, accusing some politicians of creating and nurturing such outfits for political gain before losing control of them.

“The only remaining challenge in the country is gangs and goons either formed by politicians or by themselves for selfish gains. Some were started by politicians, and because they could not sustain them, they have now become rogue,” he said.