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‎Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has warned senior police commanders that they will be held responsible for failing to dismantle criminal gangs and political goons ahead of the 2027 General Election.

‎Kanja said commanders in areas where politically motivated gangs operate would face consequences if they failed to take decisive action, warning that the National Police Service would not tolerate criminal activities that threaten peaceful elections.

‎“My directives on criminal gangs and goons have been very clear. I have reaffirmed that individual commanders must have zero tolerance to all forms of criminal gangs and goons,” Kanja said.

‎“In an area where these politically motivated thugs are prevalent, and the responsible command is ineffective, the same will be treated as negligence on the part of the responsible senior officers. This will be followed by the needful consequences on individual commanders.”

‎He spoke on Friday at the National Police Leadership Academy in Ngong during a conference bringing together senior police commanders to assess security preparedness ahead of the elections scheduled for next year.

‎Kanja said Kenya had about 10 months before the polls and warned that emerging security threats, political rhetoric and ethnic incitement required early intervention by security agencies.

‎He said the police had developed an Election Security Roadmap, an Election Preparedness Work Plan and a General Election Preparedness Matrix to guide preparations before, during and after voting.

‎“We cannot talk about a guaranteed environment for exercise of democratic rights and civic obligations during elections without first solidifying the security infrastructure,” he said.

‎The police chief directed commanders to continuously identify election hotspots, sustain intelligence-led operations against criminal gangs and tackle illicit alcohol and drugs, which he said could trigger violence.

‎He urged officers to act proactively rather than wait for criminal activities to escalate, saying success in addressing the threats would contribute to peaceful and secure elections.

‎Kanja also called for continuous training in public order management and anti-riot operations, saying the measures would help minimise injuries among officers, prevent excessive use of force and reduce complaints against police.

‎He said commanders must ensure officers understood electoral laws and the appropriate procedures for handling demonstrations and other public gatherings.

‎The IG further directed regional, formation and county commanders to communicate proactively with the media to provide factual information about security incidents and policing operations.

‎He said timely communication would help counter speculation, prevent misinformation and preserve public confidence in the police.

‎“Media harassment within your commands shall not be tolerated,” Kanja said, urging officers to maintain constructive relations with journalists while carrying out their duties.

‎The police chief also raised concern over the recent spate of road accidents, urging commanders to intensify traffic enforcement and public awareness campaigns as the festive season approaches.

‎He said police had received proposals targeting accident-prone areas and that the recommendations had been forwarded for consideration.

‎Kanja reminded officers that the National Police Service must remain politically neutral and accountable throughout the election period.

‎“Commanders are therefore reminded to ensure that officers in their commands are under control, operations are responsibly managed, and that political neutrality is maintained,” he said.

‎He called for closer cooperation among the Kenya Police Service, Administration Police Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations, saying intelligence sharing and joint operations would be critical to securing the polls.

‎The conference brought together senior commanders, including Deputy Inspector-General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat, Deputy Inspector-General of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli and DCI Director Mohamed Amin.

‎Kanja said the success of the election security preparations would depend on coordinated action across the service and adherence to professionalism, accountability and the rule of law.