Kenya, Oct. 7 -- OCS exposes police nepotism in a bombshell revelation that's sent shockwaves through Kenya's security circles, as a senior officer laid bare the rot of favouritism during a candid exchange with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.

The viral clip, captured at a public forum, shows the officer commanding the station venting frustrations over how elite connections are sidelining qualified recruits and gutting frontline deployments.

The OCS, microphone in hand and uniform crisp under the event lights, didn't hold back. "Siku hizi tumeandika watoto wa Wakubwa tukafanya Usalama imerudi chini," he declared, translating to a stark admission: recent hires - kids of MPs, CSs, PSs, and top brass - have tanked security levels.

These "connected" newcomers, he claimed, dodge volatile postings like Wajir or Mandera, leaving ordinary cops to shoulder the risks alone. Murkomen, flanked by police brass, listened stone-faced as the officer painted a dire picture.

Around 70% of transfers to high-risk zones bail out fast, the OCS alleged, pulling strings from their powerful parents to snag cushy gigs back home.

"Mkubwa called by the cabinet secretary. He's phoned by Mbunge," he added, implying frantic interventions that paralyse command structures. The crowd murmured in agreement, phones aloft capturing every word.

The thread exploded with tales of similar graft in hospitals and beyond, where passion for public service evaporates under nepotistic shadows. This isn't the first time Murkomen's barazas have unearthed ugly truths.

Just last month, OCS Isaac from Kisii stunned the CS by calling out rampant drug use among cops, questioning how a force riddled with cartels can safeguard the nation.

That clip, too, went mega-viral, prompting vows of clean-ups. Now, with recruitment scandals boiling over - a Labour Court halt on hiring 10,000 officers last week - the timing feels explosive.

Critics say it's symptomatic of deeper malaise. The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) faces accusations of bypassing merit for influence peddling, with under-18 "ghost" recruits slipping through payroll cracks earlier this year.

Unions like the Kenya National Police Service Trade Union have long warned that such practices erode morale, leaving stations understaffed and communities exposed. "There's no good thing that comes from corruption because there is no passion for the job," one responder nailed it.

Murkomen's response? Stone silence in the video, but his office later issued a terse statement vowing probes into "irregularities". Sources whisper internal memos are flying, with the OCS's fate hanging - promotion or pink slip?

Meanwhile, the CS has doubled down on recruitment drives, insisting on "energetic men and women" to plug gaps, even as courts meddle.

Opposition firebrands pounced, branding it "Ruto's dynasty at work". DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa tweeted, "When bigwigs' kids play cop in air-conditioned offices, who guards the streets?"

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops joined in, urging merit-based reforms to restore trust. Yet, defenders point to progress: Murkomen's anti-corruption pledge in September targeted "elephants in the room" during a Kisumu address.

Still, sceptics abound. A retired DIG, speaking off-record, sighed: "It's the same old song - connections trump competence, and insecurity thrives." As the video loops endlessly online, one thing's clear: the OCS's raw honesty has cracked open a festering wound.

Will it heal, or just scar deeper? With banditry in the north and urban crime surging, Kenyans demand answers - not excuses. Murkomen's next move could make or break his tenure, but for now, the echo of that mic drop lingers: security's down, and the big shots' shadows loom large.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.