KITALE, Kenya- A special police unit will be deployed to Trans-Nzoia County to confront rising cases of political violence and criminal gang activity, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced, amid growing concern over what officials now describe as an expanding nationwide ‘goon’ menace.
Speaking during an interdenominational church service at KAG Mother Church Grounds in Kitalale, Murkomen said he had already agreed with Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja on the immediate deployment of a specialised security team to restore order in the county.
“I have told the Inspector General of Police to deploy a special team to Trans Nzoia to put an end to gangs that have been terrorizing locals,” the CS said.
Murkomen warned political leaders across the country against financing, arming, or mobilising criminal groups, saying the government will take firm action against anyone implicated in violence.
“The vice of recruiting youths, arming them with crude weapons, and intoxicating them to cause violence must stop. Trans Nzoia is too important to be left at the mercy of criminal gangs,” he added.
The Interior Ministry move comes amid increasing reports of political gangs operating in several regions, with intelligence reports and political leaders warning that similar patterns of violence are emerging in parts of Nairobi, Rift Valley, Western Kenya, and Central Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In recent weeks, incidents of coordinated disruption of political gatherings, road blockades, and attacks on political figures have heightened fears that organised groups are being used to intimidate rivals in local political contests.
Security analysts have also raised concern over allegations, frequently made by political leaders and legal commentators, that some gangs operate with tacit protection or negligence from sections of the security apparatus, making enforcement inconsistent and unpredictable.
While Murkomen insisted that the government is committed to dismantling criminal networks, opposition figures have accused security agencies of selective enforcement, claiming that some groups are allowed to operate depending on political alignment, claims the government has denied.
The deployment in Trans-Nzoia is expected to include specialised anti-gang officers trained in crowd control, intelligence-led operations, and rapid response tactics aimed at breaking organised criminal cells.
Murkomen was accompanied by several leaders including Trans-Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang and multiple MPs from the region, signaling a coordinated political and security push in the county.
As Kenya edges closer to the 2027 elections, the rise of politically linked gangs has become a growing national concern, with calls mounting for a unified security strategy to prevent escalation into widespread electoral violence.
