Senator Cherargei Now Claims Murkomen Was Mere Librarian: "He Never Taught Me"
- The public feud between Nandi senator Samson Cherargei and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen escalated again
- Murkomen fired back, dismissing Cherargei as a failed student unfit to judge his qualifications, claiming he once taught the senator, who performed "below average"
- Outraged, Cherargei rejected the claims and accused Murkomen of misleading the Senate, insisting the CS never taught him and suggesting he only served as a librarian
- The senator has now formally petitioned Speaker Amason Kingi to expunge Murkomen’s remarks from official records
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nairobi - The bitter exchange between Nandi senator Samson Cherargei and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen doesn't seem to be de-escalating anytime soon.
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Cherargei has been on a war path against Murkomen but had toned down his rhetoric against the CS until his latest appearance before the Senate on the death of 31-year-old X influencer Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody at Central Police Station.
During the session, Cherargei used the opportunity to accuse the CS of incompetence and demanded his demotion back to the Sports Ministry.
Murkomen, in turn, brushed off the criticism, accusing Cherargei of turning every tragedy into a political attack and claiming the senator was continuing his long-standing campaign to tarnish his name.
"Cherargei was my student. I taught him more than two subjects, and his performance was below average. He has no legitimacy to question my competence," the CS told senators.
How did Cherargei respond to Murkomen
Responding to Murkomen once more, Cherargei dismissed the CS's qualifications, rubbishing claims that he had taught him in law school.
Speaking on Thursday, June 12, Cherargei formally sought guidance from the Speaker on whether witnesses appearing before the Senate had the right to comment on the conduct of sitting senators, especially those in attendance or represented in plenary.
"I really wanted your guidance that whenever we invite witnesses to appear before the house, under standing orders, looking at standing order 101, and in your power of standing order number one of the standing orders, do they have powers to discuss the conduct of members of the Senate who are sitting in plenary?" Cherargei inquired.
Cherargei was quick to reject the claim, insisting Murkomen never lectured him.
According to Cherargei, he used to bump shoulders with the CS in the academic halls, suggesting that he was a librarian in the institution.
"In fact, when I was in school, he never taught me. He was among the librarians in the law school that I was there, Mr. Speaker, and even the allegations is that he was doing STGs in some of the classrooms. So, I really want that matter to be put to rest, because the clients, a number of clients, including the great fathers of Nandi, I've never slept throughout the night, because they know me as one of the brilliant, hard-working, top-performing Senators of this Republic of Kenya," the senator added.
Why did Cherargei protest Murkomen's comments
The legislator observed that Murkomen's remarks were made in bad faith and were meant to injure his person.
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He expressed gratitude to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi for stopping the CS from continuing with his line of thought.
However, Cheragei appealed to Kingi to have the claims by Murkomen removed from the official records.
"Is it possible to strike it off the record of the Senate, those comments that were made in bad faith? Can you direct that the witness does not have power to discuss any conduct of any member, either in plenary or in any other form then, as they say in Catholic, say one thing, and my soul will be healed," he stated.
Why does Cherargei want Murkomen out
Earlier, Cherargei accused Murkomen of gross incompetence in handling the deadly Angata Barrikoi clashes in Narok, claiming the ministry was in “crisis” and urging that Murkomen should face dismissal or reassignment
He said Murkomen’s leadership was “reckless, insensitive, and very incompetent” and called for sober, capable officials in such posts .
He proposed the CS to be taken back to the Ministry of Sports, where he argued that less harm would be suffered even if he underperformed.
Cherargei also urged the government to compensate victims for medical and funeral expenses .
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
