The resurgence of political goonism is a stain on our democracy and a threat to our national security.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s admission to Parliament yesterday that this culture is being funded by politicians confirms our worst fears. It is a calculated strategy where hired thugs are unleashed to attack rivals and instil fear.

This is not a new phenomenon. Unfortunately, these criminal activities tend to intensify as the country inches closer to general elections. We are witnessing a predictable, yet dangerous, cycle.
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The government’s primary constitutional mandate is to protect the lives and property of all Kenyans. To turn a blind eye while politicians finance and grow this culture of impunity is wrong and unacceptable.
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With 14 months remaining until the next election, stern warnings are no longer sufficient. The National Police Service must follow up its rhetoric with decisive action.

There must be arrests and prosecutions for all involved—be it the perpetrators on the ground or their political sponsors. We must arrest this situation firmly before it spirals completely out of hand.

Quote of the day: “For peace to reign on Earth, humans must evolve into new beings who have learned to see the whole first.” —German philosopher Immanuel Kant was born on April 22, 1724