OKANGO: Goonism Economy: Young Kenyans must reject false promise of quick money through violence

A market opens for business every day in Kenya's neighbourhoods. It trades in young men's bodies and futures. The currency is desperation. The commodity is violence.

This is the Goonism Economy, a clear and present threat to our democracy. The majority of Kenyan youth are without formal employment, creating a vast pool of desperate young men ready to be weaponised. Certain politicians recruit, arm and pay them to fuel violence, disrupt rallies and intimidate opponents. The threat is systemic, organised and escalating.

For countless young Kenyans, the choice is stark: starve or take up arms for a politician's ambition. This is not random hooliganism but a sophisticated industry where political financiers use intermediaries known as mobilisers to orchestrate violence with chilling efficiency.

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that several gangs now operate in Kenya, many with direct political backing. They have evolved into complex, decentralised networks that threaten public safety and democratic stability. Political patronage created them, and they now challenge state authority.

The 2027 General Election looms, and violence is already escalating. A senator was attacked in Kisumu. Suspected goons stormed All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi. Violence erupted outside ACK St Stephen's Cathedral in Kisumu, leaving one person dead. Similar incidents occurred in Nyahururu, where armed groups disrupted a rally.

The National Police Service condemned these acts as political intolerance traceable to politicians who view intimidation as a legitimate campaign tool.

The Elections Offences Act criminalises political violence during elections. It penalises those who inflict or threaten injury, damage or harm during the electoral period. The Act prohibits violence or disruption of political meetings. It also outlaws the use of force to intimidate voters or manipulate outcomes. The Elections Act empowers the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to disqualify candidates who engage in or aid violence.

The government is already taking decisive action. Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo identified the root cause: Goonism is fuelled by politicians who weaponise vulnerable youth. The government has declared that criminal gangs and political goonism will not be tolerated and has authorised security teams to act against any form of goonism.

The results are tangible. Police arrested 84 suspected goons in Nairobi and impounded 194 motorcycles. Five suspects were arrested after the disruption at All Saints Cathedral. In Molo, 56 were taken into custody. In Kisumu, eight were arrested. In Nyahururu, six were arrested. In total, 14 suspects have been arraigned. The government is investing in surveillance infrastructure, deploying cameras and command centres and equipping officers with necessary security gadgets.

However, enforcement alone cannot dismantle an economy built on desperation. This is why economic empowerment is central to the strategy. The Nyota programme targets 820,000 unemployed youth with start-up capital, business training and mentorship.

In its second phase, the government disbursed Sh3 billion to more than 122,000 young entrepreneurs. It offers industrial attachments for 90,000 youths and facilitates access to government procurement.

Complementing this is the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, a youth-centred framework for agriculture, MSMEs, affordable housing and digital infrastructure. The government plans to employ 50,000 youth under the ClimateWorX initiative, while more than 200,000 young people are already earning incomes through digital jobs. All of this systematically reduces the pool of recruits for political goon networks.

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops has warned that violence threatens democratic freedoms. This is a national challenge demanding a collective response. Politicians must reject the weaponisation of unemployed youth. Those who hire goons must be named, shamed and ostracised. The public must report suspected goon activities and refuse to be passive bystanders.

Young Kenyans must reject the false promise of quick money through violence. The government is creating legitimate pathways out of desperation. Nyota, the Bottom-Up Agenda and digital jobs are tangible opportunities that the youth must seize.

The Goonism Economy is a threat to our democracy. The state has demonstrated its resolve to dismantle it. Politicians must choose statesmanship over thuggery. The public must choose vigilance over apathy. The youth must choose opportunity over exploitation. The responsibility belongs to all of us.

Strategic adviser and expert in leadership and governance