The National Cohesion and Integration Commission has raised a red flag over the proliferation of politically motivated criminal gangs mainly using online platforms for mobilisation and plotting.
In a publication titled ‘The evolution of criminal gangs’ in Kenya launched on Thursday, the Samuel Kobia–led body says the criminal gangs are no longer a preserve of “unschooled village drunkards”.
Now, the gangs comprise tech-savvy young people with high levels of education and exposure but lacking credible opportunities to pursue their dreams and make a decent living.
It is this vulnerability that is being exploited by politicians ahead of 2027.
Some security intelligence notes have linked some politicians with the groups, allegedly financing and deploying the groups for protection, voter mobilisation and intimidation of opponents, especially during election cycles.
A 2012 report by the National Crime Research Centre identified 46 criminal groups in the country and by 2017, this number had grown significantly to 326 with 116 operating in 15 counties, despite a 2016 government ban outlawing 90 of them.
According to the centre, the highest concentrations of gangs are in Mombasa (73 groups), Nairobi (56) and Kilifi (47) counties. Other affected counties include Nakuru, Kiambu and Kisumu.
The illicit groups often engage in criminal activities including violent robbery, mugging, murder, drug trafficking, extortion (protection racketeering), carjacking, illegal connection of utilities such as water and electricity and M-Pesa fraud.
The NCIC report says these groups include significant juvenile involvement, with some as young as 11, but typically ranging from 15 to 35 years old and who are prepared to use extreme violence, often armed with knives, pangas (machetes) and occasionally, firearms.
The report notes that the use of digital platforms has grown with digital transformation, enabling gangs to exploit the anonymity and reach of the internet to perpetrate crimes, spread disinformation and incite violence.
The groups take advantage of the speed and obscurity of online spaces to coordinate activities, recruit members and disseminate their messages.
“The preponderance of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok have become fertile ground for these groups, enabling them to mobilise quickly, spread propaganda and incite violence with alarming efficiency,” the report states.
The illicit groups use these platforms to incite hatred and violence through ethnic hate speech, fake news, propaganda and disinformation.
“Online criminal gangs further use social media to recruit, mobilise for support, communicate and organise their unlawful actions. Protest movements and revolutionists have utilised these spaces to mobilise the masses—unifying, organising and spurring them to action,” it adds.
While education and digital skills can empower youth and open doors for innovation, the report warns that the absence of suitable employment opportunities can push the same young people toward criminal activities.
The commission cites the 2024–2025 Gen Z protests as an example of how the internet can inflame public passion through false or exaggerated information, fuelling online activism and mobilisation by “keyboard warriors”.
“This demonstrated the potent power of these platforms for collective action—a power that can be exploited by criminal elements for disreputable purposes,” it notes.
The rapid spread of disinformation and hate speech online has had serious consequences for social cohesion and political stability, with digital platforms increasingly being used to share secret, classified, or sensitive information, the report states.
Kobia said responses to the emergence of such groups should not rely solely on force but also address underlying social and economic causes.
“Our focus must pivot towards addressing the internal root causes of these challenges,” he said.
According to Kobia, illicit groups often arise by exploiting social voids, presenting themselves as providers of “protection, social services, or income generation” in areas where legitimate structures are weak or absent.
“Yet, in reality, they become aggressors, preying on the very communities they purport to serve, or competing with legitimate enterprises through intimidation and concealment of wrongdoing,” he said.
The commission warns that with the 2027 general elections approaching, Kenya faces heightened risks from politically linked criminal networks.
“With the explosion of the internet, the resurgence of organised criminal gangs and the 2027 general elections looming, Kenya is at a critical juncture. While individuals should have the right to organise, communicate and express themselves, this should not extend beyond the requirement to safeguard a country’s security,” the report states.
As a remedy, NCIC recommends heightened vigilance by the intelligence community to gather first-hand knowledge of the activities of organised crime networks and anticipate future trends.
It calls for investigations into both offline and online criminal operations to prevent the country from sliding into chaos and near anarchy ahead of the elections.
The commission further proposes the creation of a multi-agency platform dedicated to monitoring the growth and activities of criminal gangs. The body should bring together key state and non-state actors to coordinate responses by tracking gang evolution, analysing tactics and assessing their political, economic and social impacts.
“It is envisaged that through real-time information sharing, strategic collaboration and data-driven analysis, this multi-agency body will provide early warnings and develop targeted interventions to dismantle criminal networks before they take root in Kenya’s soil,” the report concludes.
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