Kenya: Govt Identifies 109 Criminal Gangs, Warns Against Political Violence Ahead of 2027 Polls

What the report says

Kenya’s government says it has identified 109 organised criminal gangs and groups operating across the country as it steps up security planning ahead of the 2027 General Election. The warning, reported by Capital FM and distributed by AllAfrica, came from Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, who said authorities are especially concerned about youth groups being used for political intimidation, attacks and harassment.

Omollo said the spread of organised violence could weaken the rule of law and public confidence in state institutions. The government said the list of 109 groups is larger than the 89 it declared illegal in 2016. It said the groups are concentrated in several regions, including Western Kenya, Rift Valley, Nairobi, Nyanza and the Coast, with smaller numbers in other parts of the country.

The report says security agencies arrested 1,827 suspects between January and August 2026 for offences linked to organised criminal activity and what officials described as “goonism.” Courts recorded 729 convictions during the same period, while 716 cases were still pending. Authorities said they are now focusing not only on arrests but also on the networks, recruiters and financiers behind the groups, using intelligence-led policing and financial investigations.

The government also said it will combine enforcement with prevention and reintegration efforts, including work with probation services, prisons, county governments, faith groups and community leaders. It urged young people to avoid recruitment by gangs and called on the public to report suspected crime, stressing that political participation is lawful but violence and intimidation will not be tolerated.