Goon violence a threat to 2027 elections

There are fears that if the culture is not contained, it will escalate to the polls and threaten the integrity of the elections as well as national security.

United Opposition leaders have been vocal in condemning the incidents. The latest occurred on Monday, when goons patrolled Kisii town ahead of the arrival of the leaders for their rally.

The politicians, led by former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and ex-DP Rigathi Gachagua, condemned the incident, claiming that police were under heavy pressure to embrace and work with the goons to disrupt their meeting.

The opposition camp alleges that the police service has been turned into a private "militia" that is protecting those in power, and there are no signs of change.

Before Monday’s incident, goons had popped up in various other instances, including the Linda Mwananchi rallies in Kitengela, Busia and Kakamega.

Gachagua’s events have seen the highest incidents, including disruption of more than three church services in Nairobi, Nakuru and Nyeri counties.

The Anglican Church of Kenya has already raised alarm over the trend, warning that Kenya risks going the Haiti-gangland style.

ACK head Jackson Sapit warned that the escalating political tensions and the emergence of organised gangs at public gatherings pose a serious threat to national stability.

The clergyman cautioned that if left unchecked, the phenomenon could spiral into long-term insecurity, adding that the current trajectory and the descent into lawlessness could see politically aligned private militias become a long-term security threat.

“Now we have entered a culture we haven’t seen before of people called goons who are hired by politicians from various sides, and every side has its own ‘goons’,” Sapit said.

“I want to warn Kenyans that what is happening in Haiti started just like this. Those who were trained by political factions eventually became a problem and a threat to the country.”

Opposition leaders accuse President William Ruto and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen of bearing responsibility for alleged police brutality and “state-sponsored violence”.

However, Murkomen shot back and accused the leaders of mobilising the goons to attend their rallies, while acknowledging that the trend threatens national security.

Speaking to MPs last Wednesday, the CS said those who are organising the violence are on both sides of the political divide, in different levels of political campaign.

“And eventually they will ask why the police fired a bullet and why the police killed somebody, but had we not organised goons to come to our meetings, we could not have that situation,” Murkomen said.

Last December, Ruto warned that the state will not tolerate use of goons, while asking Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to rein in the leaders hiring goons.

Interior PS Raymond Omollo has dismissed claims of state involvement in the disruptions, warning against what he described as attempts to misuse young people for political violence.

“We will not allow anyone else, even those who are engaged in youthful misadventure, who are trying to misuse our young people to take them to the streets to fight because of misadventures that will lead them nowhere,” Omollo said.

There are fears that if the culture of goon-hiring is not curbed, the integrity of elections will be jeopardised as the law requires the exercise, both the campaigns and voting day, to be free and fair.

The law requires elections to be free from intimidation, undue influence and improper pressure, and criminalises coercion of voters.

The Constitution also guarantees freedom from violence, while also mandating facilitation, not obstruction, of voting and oversight.

Archbishop Dominic Kimengich of the Eldoret Catholic Diocese warns the growing role of political goons ahead of next year’s general elections is alarming.

He says the goons have infiltrated security agencies, operate with impunity, and are even used to raid churches and assault worshippers.

“We cannot have a country where security is in the hands of gangs while a government exists,” Kimengich said, waring that the country risks sliding into anarchy if the impunity is not contained.

Former Trade CS Moses Kuria is among those who are cautioning about the trend, adding that even the international community is watching the violence unfolding.

He warned that top security chiefs are likely to be referred to Hague.

"I have talked to several friends from the diplomatic community. I can tell you without fear of contradiction that some people will end up at the International Criminal Court,” Kuria said.

PLP leader Martha Karua said the buck stops with the President.

“We are warning President Ruto that he risks being returned to the ICC. He was once taken to The Hague, and unless he is careful, he knows what happened last time he was taken there,” she said.

Lawyer Koki Muli warned that the violence will have a major impact in the next elections, coupled with mistrust of the electoral commission if not addressed in time.

“Growing mistrust in the IEBC risks deterring vulnerable groups from voting during periods of violence,” she says.

“The commission should take a firm stand and ensure that any politician who hires goons is held accountable under the law.”

Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat has warned that no person will be spared if they are found hiring goons to disrupt rivals’ meetings.

“We will not tolerate any individual hiring goons to disrupt any public gathering,” he declared.