NAIROBI, Kenya — At least 1,189 people have been sentenced for offences linked to political violence and goonism since 2022, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has told the Senate.
Appearing before the Senate plenary on Wednesday, September 16, Murkomen said the sentences varied according to the nature and gravity of the offences.
He cited the figure as evidence of government action against political violence as concerns grow over the use of youths to disrupt political meetings and intimidate political opponents ahead of the 2027 General Election. A report on his appearance also put the number of people linked specifically to political goonism at 1,189 since 2022.
“This is part of the evidence for those who say that the police are doing nothing to arrest goons,” Murkomen said.
Murkomen Warns Political Goonism Will Be Cracked Down
The Interior CS said the Government would continue pursuing people involved in criminal activities carried out under the guise of political mobilisation.
He said security agencies were expected to intervene before violence occurs, including by acting on intelligence on suspected groups and their facilitators.
In August, Murkomen directed the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to adopt a preventive approach to political violence by identifying suspected perpetrators before they reach political rallies.
He has also repeatedly warned politicians against recruiting or deploying youths to disrupt political functions.
Political Violence Raises Election Concerns
The crackdown comes as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 General Election, with reported incidents at political gatherings in several parts of the country.
The issue has attracted scrutiny from Parliament and human-rights organisations. Human Rights Watch recently raised concerns about organised gang attacks in the lead-up to the elections and questioned whether authorities were adequately pursuing accountability in some cases.
The Senate has previously examined allegations of politically motivated attacks and the role of organised groups in political violence.
The Government has denied deploying political goons. Murkomen has previously described goons as loosely organised groups that can be recruited for specific assignments, particularly around political activities.
IEBC Warns Against Political Intolerance
The use of violence and organised groups at political gatherings has also raised concerns about the conduct of the 2027 elections.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has previously warned that political intolerance and groups hired to disrupt opponents could undermine peaceful political competition.
The electoral body has powers under the electoral code of conduct to take action against political actors found to have breached the rules governing election-related activities.
Government Reports Thousands of Youths Linked to Criminal Activity
Murkomen’s appearance also highlighted the wider security challenge involving young people and organised criminal activity.
According to reporting on his Senate appearance, the Government recorded 121,870 youth arrests since 2022, with 9,959 linked to criminal gangs, 1,189 to political goonism and 676 to violent extremism.
The figures cover a broader category of arrests and should therefore not be interpreted as meaning all those arrested were convicted.
Murkomen has maintained that security agencies are pursuing criminal networks regardless of their political affiliations and has rejected allegations that the Government itself deploys organised groups to disrupt political activities.
Murkomen Gives Disaster Preparedness Update
During his appearance, Murkomen also briefed senators on the Government’s preparedness for disasters and emergencies.
He said the Government was implementing the National Disaster Risk Management Strategy 2025–2030, designed to strengthen coordination and response to disasters.
The National Disaster Operations Centre continues to coordinate preparedness and emergency response through what the CS described as a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
Murkomen said the Government was also preparing for the expected El Niño rains, working with relevant agencies to mitigate potential effects.
CS Says Kenya Is Prepared for Emerging Security Threats
Murkomen maintained that Kenya was safe and said security agencies were taking measures to address emerging threats while improving government service delivery.
His appearance before the Senate comes amid increased scrutiny of security preparedness as political mobilisation gathers pace ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Government’s handling of political violence, including the recruitment of young people into organised groups and the response to attacks at political gatherings, is expected to remain a major security and election issue as the country moves closer to the polls.
