Kipchumba Murkomen Defends Office Furnishings Amid Criticism
Youth Affairs, Sports, and Creative Economy Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen dismissed criticism over the purchasing of new furniture for his office.
The issue came into the limelight after the nature of the expensive furniture in his new office was questioned by critics.
Murkomen explained the issue, saying the furniture formed part of the wider Talanta Hela initiative to nurture youth talent and grow the creative industry.
He added that the furniture was bought as part of the total furnishing for the offices in the Ministry and not a personal procurement.
Murkomen said he had not moved any furniture from his previous office as Cabinet Secretary for Transport.
He defended himself, “I did not move with the furniture from the Ministry of Transport. Sometimes I wonder, why always me?”
The defence has come at a time when public scrutiny into the expenditures of government officials is very high, especially after the administration of President Ruto introduced reforms to stem the misuse of public funds.
This controversy is not the first time Murkomen has come under the public spotlight for perceived opulence.
Earlier, he was criticized for his high Roller Life, where he frequently used helicopters to move around and donned expensive suits during his time as the CS for Transport.
On the sidelines, Murkomen now supports a Lifestyle Audit Bill to make all public servants accountable and ensures that transparency cuts a wallet size of public servants to avoid criticism and speculation over private expenses.
Some have often looked at the recent effort on his part as some honest-to-goodness foray into transparency, while some have stayed skeptical as to timing and motivation behind the utterances.
However, Murkomen has remained resolute, insisting on the need for an element of serving the nation with humility in the new position.
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