NAIROBI, Kenya – A brazen daylight attack on Senator Godfrey Osotsi in Kisumu last month, where he was assaulted and robbed by hooded youths, has amplified fears that Kenya is regressing towards an era of politically motivated violence. The incident, captured on CCTV and quickly circulating online, has prompted a high-level parliamentary summons of the nation’s top security chiefs and highlighted the growing threat posed by organized criminal gangs, often referred to as ‘goons,’ who are allegedly mobilized by politicians.
Kenya’s history with politically sponsored youth gangs dates back to the early 1990s, coinciding with the reintroduction of multiparty democracy. These groups, often comprised of unemployed youth, have historically been exploited by politicians for electoral intimidation. Their role was particularly devastating in the post-election violence of 2007, which resulted in approximately 1,500 deaths.
The current political climate, with up to 15 months remaining before the next general election, is already marked by heightened tensions. The potential presidential bid of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who holds significant grievances following his 2024 impeachment, coupled with internal party divisions, is contributing to a rise in political temperatures. Attacks by hired youths on political figures are becoming increasingly common and audacious.
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen acknowledged to parliament that the government faces significant challenges in controlling these groups. He described them as having evolved from simple street outfits into “sophisticated and decentralized networks.” Murkomen revealed that over 104 local criminal gangs are active nationwide, many allegedly operating under the patronage of political leaders. “The gangs are owned by political leaders who play a significant role in mobilizing people. It is chaotic. An irresponsible leader is a threat to national security,” he stated, without naming specific individuals.
Authorities have intensified a crackdown, arresting at least 300 suspects and recovering weapons and communication devices. However, no politicians have been apprehended in connection with these arrests. This cycle of government attempts to ban such groups, only for them to re-emerge under new guises, has been a persistent challenge for successive administrations. Security sources indicate these gangs have developed into well-structured organizations.
The former deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, has reportedly been a target of such violence since his impeachment. His allies claim that state-sponsored criminal networks are attempting to sabotage his presidential ambitions, citing dozens of attacks by armed groups at public gatherings, including churches.
Opposition leaders and civil society organizations have long accused the police of either complicity or deliberate inaction against organized gangs that frequently arm themselves with crude weapons at political rallies. They assert that such violence often occurs in the presence of law enforcement officials.
The political landscape was further disrupted by the death of veteran politician Raila Odinga last October, leading to a significant realignment within his ODM party. A split has emerged over whether to support President William Ruto’s administration, resulting in clashes between opposing factions. In February, a rally by the anti-Ruto group saw a 28-year-old man shot dead during confrontations with the police, prompting the group to condemn what they termed “state-sponsored acts of violence by police and hired goons.”
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has vehemently denied any state sponsorship of these criminal groups. “The use of criminal gangs to intimidate or silence individuals undermines our democracy and will not be tolerated. Anyone found financing, supporting, or engaging in such acts will be held fully accountable under the law,” Mwaura told the BBC.
The issue is not confined to opposition figures. In February, a senatorial aspirant aligned with the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition was forcibly ejected from a church service in Kakamega by a group of individuals. By-elections in western and central Kenya last November were also marred by significant violence, including attacks on polling agents and clashes involving armed groups.
Robert Chege, a security analyst, described these incidents as painting a “troubling picture of a country where political rivalry increasingly spills into organised street violence executed by hired gangs operating with precision and impunity.” Observers warn that these seemingly isolated events collectively indicate a nation nearing a dangerous precipice, a situation it has faced and narrowly survived before.
Professor Makau Mutua, a legal expert and advisor to President Ruto, characterized the problem as an “epidemic” and a “Kenyan culture” where major political parties engage in such tactics. A report from the state-funded National Crime Research Centre identified hundreds of criminal gangs, with over 120 linked to politicians, noting their evolution into entrenched community institutions.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja assured parliament that the police are taking the matter seriously and that security agencies have identified the individuals orchestrating the violence. “This issue of goons and guns is going to stop soon. We have clearly investigated. We have seen where they come from, who funds, who does what, who is the grassroots organiser and so forth,” Kanja stated.
Murkomen addressed accusations of police inaction, attributing some issues to “operational challenges,” including corruption and information leaks, while emphasizing that all allegations of complicity are being taken seriously. Critics, however, argue that the government’s response remains largely rhetorical, lacking effective execution.
Chege identified Kenya’s security crisis as self-inflicted, sustained by political patronage and state systems that benefit from violence and inequality. “The question is no longer who the goons are, but who sends them, funds them and protects them? The real architects of Kenya’s rising wave of organised violence remain in the shadows,” he concluded.
Ordinary Kenyans are hoping for tangible answers and decisive action from the authorities to curb the escalating violence before it intensifies further in the lead-up to the general elections scheduled for August next year.
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