Who is sending Goons? Murkomen Calls Out Leaders Institutionalizing Political Violence

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a stark warning regarding the direct involvement of elected leaders in organizing and financing criminal gangs. 

Speaking before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, the Cabinet Secretary cautioned that this dangerous trend threatens to destabilize the upcoming 2027 general election.

The government’s latest findings indicate that the use of these networks has evolved from informal street mobilization into a sophisticated political tool. 

The Cabinet Secretary revealed that the practice has become so pervasive that it is now being institutionalized within various county governments.

In a candid disclosure, the Cabinet Secretary explained how some governors are allegedly utilizing administrative resources to sustain these criminal activities. 

“We have seen that almost every politician has a form of goons disguised as bouncers escorting them around. In some counties, there are chief officers in charge of goons who accompany governors to functions. They can’t go anywhere without them,” Murkomen said as first quoted by The Star.

The Rise of Organized Criminal Enterprises

Beyond political intimidation, the government warned that these groups are increasingly diversifying into illicit enterprises. 

Security reports link these gangs to drug trafficking, the distribution of illicit brews, extortion, and the manipulation of land disputes. 

Murkomen further highlighted how these actors often invade properties before hiring squatters to complicate legal eviction processes, turning isolated criminal acts into organized enterprises.

Pursuing Justice in the Osotsi Case

These remarks follow mounting public outrage sparked by the recent attack on Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi in Kisumu. 

Addressing this incident, the Cabinet Secretary confirmed that investigators have made progress, with some suspects surrendering after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) circulated their images. 

However, he disclosed that approximately 13 to 14 suspects fled across the border immediately following the incident.

Security agencies are currently collaborating with neighboring authorities to apprehend the fugitives. The Cabinet Secretary emphasized that all suspects will face justice upon their return, stating that the government intends to use this case as a deterrent to demonstrate that political violence will not be tolerated.

Calling for a national conversation to confront this menace, the Cabinet Secretary urged political leaders across the spectrum to take responsibility for ending the culture of using gangs to settle scores.