Kenya
is facing a dangerous resurgence of organised criminal gangs and militant
groups, an issue that threatens not just our local communities but the nation’s
very fabric of stability.
From
the slums of Nairobi to the coastal towns of Mombasa, these groups are
multiplying, evolving and embedding themselves deeper into our society.
The
April 2025 National Crime Research Centre report delivers a sobering
revelation: the number of organised criminal groups ballooned from 33 in 2010
to 326 by 2017, a 897% increase in just seven years.
Today,
over 300 such gangs are active in only 11 counties, with Mombasa, Nairobi and
Kilifi topping the list.
These
groups are involved in a laundry list of crimes, drug and human trafficking,
armed robbery, political violence, extortion and even terrorism.
While
these threats may seem diverse and decentralised, they are often rooted in the
same systemic issues: poverty, unemployment, peer pressure, marginalisation,
corruption and a sense of abandonment by the state.
Young
people aged 18–34, left idle by joblessness and disillusioned by a rising cost
of living, are especially vulnerable to radicalisation and recruitment.
Historically,
some of these groups began with community-based intentions like protecting
local interests or filling security gaps.
However,
many have morphed into tools of political violence or criminal enterprises,
often bankrolled by shadowy political operatives.
Groups like Chinkororo and Sungu Sungu in
Kisii, once seen as defenders of community justice, now carry the stain of
political manipulation and post-election violence.
In
Nairobi, easy access to firearms has fueled a spike in violent gangs.
In coastal areas, historical injustices and
drug cartels have led to the entrenchment of criminal networks.
Meanwhile,
political actors continue to use these groups for protection and intimidation,
creating a vicious cycle that breeds even more violence.
The
state’s response has been largely reactive through raids, crackdowns and bans.
But
while necessary in the short term, these approaches will not provide lasting
solutions unless they are paired with efforts to address the root causes of
insurgency and gang formation.
We
must shift our focus from containment to transformation.
Kenya
needs a multi-pronged strategy to dismantle these groups by disincentivising
violence and offering credible alternatives.
This
means creating meaningful employment opportunities, investing in youth
development and building trust between communities and the security apparatus.
Programs
aimed at rehabilitating and reintegrating former gang members should be
tailored to individual motivations, whether economic, ideological or communal.
Moreover,
the government must proactively monitor transitions within these groups.
When
factions split or ideologies shift, these are critical windows where targeted
engagement can either de-escalate or inflame tensions.
Ignoring
these transition points allows more radicalised splinters to harden into
dangerous outliers.
Security
must also evolve beyond brute force.
Strengthening
local intelligence committees, leveraging modern technology and fostering
voluntary cooperation from communities will go a long way in rooting out crime
before it takes hold.
But
this requires civic trust, and that trust can only be built if citizens believe
the government is both willing and capable of protecting them.
We
must also resist the dangerous drift into what I call security infantilization,
where citizens, out of fear or desperation, turn to criminal groups for
protection.
This
erodes the authority of the state and fosters a climate of permanent anxiety
and institutional distrust.
If
we don’t act now, we risk walking the same path as countries like DR Congo or
Somalia, where the state lost control to armed groups and chaos reigned.
Kenya
is not there yet, but the warning signs are too loud to ignore.
The
path forward demands a shift in how we perceive and respond to this growing
threat.
We
must treat organised criminal gangs and insurgent groups not just as
law-and-order issues, but as symptoms of deeper governance and societal
failures.
Only
then can we build a safer, more just and more resilient Kenya.
Dennis Wendo is the founder of the Integrated
Development Network – Public Benefits Organization (PBO). Email : [email protected] | [email protected]
