ICJ-Kenya Chairperson Christine Alai addresses a press briefing after the National Multi-Stakeholder forum in Nairobi on August 10, 2026. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]
Kenya risks sliding into another cycle of election-related violence if the growing trend of political goonism is not confronted early, stakeholders have warned.
Human rights organisations, police oversight agencies, researchers, among other stakeholders, raised concerns over the emergence of organised groups allegedly mobilised around political interests, warning that failure to identify and hold their financiers, organisers and mobilisers to account could undermine the 2027 General Election.
This warning came during a National multi-stakeholder forum on Political Goonism and Hired Violence Ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election convened by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Kenya.
ICJ Kenya chairperson Christine Alai said the country is already seeing warning signs that require urgent action rather than waiting for violence to escalate during the election period.
“What we are seeing in the form of violence is the manifestation of a political economy of violence,” Alai said.