Goons attack Linda Mwananchi convoy at Koduogo, Homa Bay County, on August 16, 2026. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]
There is a dangerous assumption in Kenyan politics that political goons are disposable.
Politicians imagine they can recruit angry young men, finance them, arm them with crude weapons, unleash them against opponents and send them home when elections end. History suggests otherwise.
The young men cultivated for political intimidation may not disappear after 2027. When campaign money dries up, rallies end and protection fades, some may reorganise into criminal gangs. Having learnt that violence pays, they may turn the same methods against communities and against the politicians who empowered them.
Political goonism is not merely an electoral problem. It may incubate Kenya’s next national security crisis.
Critics of President William Ruto see echoes of Daniel arap Moi’s era. They point to co-opted opponents, weakened institutions, loyal networks and patronage used to neutralise resistance.
Whether every comparison holds is debatable, but the similarities matter.