The Kenyan government has listed 109 organised criminal gangs and groups operating across the country, according to Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo. This number has increased from the 89 organised criminal groups previously declared illegal through Gazette Notice No. 10427 of 2016. The groups are associated with violence, intimidation, extortion, and other forms of organised criminal activity.
Western Kenya has the highest concentration of criminal gangs, with 38 identified groups, followed by the Rift Valley with 22 and Nairobi with 20. Nyanza has 12 groups, Coast 11, Eastern three, North-Eastern two, and Central one. Omollo stated that security agencies have shifted their focus from individual offenders to the networks that allow criminal activity to survive and regenerate.
The government is currently pursuing gang leaders, recruiters, and financiers while tracing financial networks linked to extortion, robbery, and other forms of organised criminal activity. From January 1 to August 31, police arrested and arraigned 1,827 suspects over offences linked to organised criminal activity and goonism. Trans Nzoia recorded the highest number of arrests at 491.
Authorities also secured 729 convictions during the period, with the Rift Valley accounting for 36.5 per cent of the convictions. A further 716 cases remain before the courts. Omollo warned that the government would pursue not only those who commit acts of violence but also individuals who recruit, finance, or direct criminal groups.
Omollo emphasised that those who recruit, finance, or direct such groups will be held to account alongside those who carry out the violence. The government also says enforcement will be accompanied by measures aimed at addressing factors that make young people vulnerable to recruitment into criminal networks, including unemployment, poverty, coercion, and promises of quick money.
The statement comes amid growing concern over the possible use of criminal networks to intimidate political opponents and disrupt political activities as the country approaches the 2027 General Election. The government is taking steps to address the issue, with a focus on prevention and rehabilitation.
The identification of the 109 criminal gangs is part of the government's efforts to tackle organised crime in Kenya. The government is working to dismantle the networks and bring those responsible to justice, while also addressing the underlying factors that contribute to the growth of organised crime.
Key points
- The Kenyan government has identified 109 organised criminal gangs operating across the country.
- Western Kenya has the highest concentration of criminal gangs, with 38 identified groups.
- The government is pursuing gang leaders, recruiters, and financiers, and has secured 729 convictions linked to organised criminal activity.
