Kenya is witnessing a growing use of hired gangs by political actors to intimidate opponents, disrupt protests, and silence dissent, rights advocates warn.

As poverty fuels recruitment and elections draw closer, fears are mounting that the trend could undermine democracy and trigger wider political violence.

Kenyan human rights organisations are warning of an alarming rise in the use of hired gangs, commonly referred to as “goons” by political actors seeking to intimidate rivals, disrupt demonstrations, and suppress civic activism ahead of the country’s 2027 general elections.

Executive Director of the International Commission of Jurists Kenya, Demas Kiprono described the phenomenon as a recurring feature of periods of intense political competition.

“Whenever there is high political contestation in Kenya, there are things that happen to human rights and democratic freedoms that we find abhorrent,” he said, warning of the proliferation of goonism by individuals allegedly paid to violate the rights of others for political gain.

According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission, the use of politically sponsored gangs amounts to what scholars describe as informal repression.

“What you call goonism is what is scholarly known as informal repression,” the commission’s Head of Communication, Ernest Oduor, said.

He argued that such tactics serve two purposes: undermining the legitimacy of protest movements while allowing authorities to avoid direct responsibility for violence.

Rights advocates have expressed concern over what they describe as insufficient police action against the groups, despite repeated incidents involving political rallies, demonstrations, and civil society events.