The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has announced plans to summon select politicians linked to goonism and organising violence against their opponents ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
DCI Nyanza Region Coordinator George Matonya said the detectives have identified the politicians connected to recent goon attacks and will start summoning them to answer questions relating to the attacks.
According to Matonya, the operation is targeting those who pay the goons to cause violence as well as those who have put them on their payroll.
"We have been able to profile the known politicians who are connected to goonism. And as the regional security committee, we have agreed that we should summon employers of the goons and those who have them on their payroll.," Matonya said.
DCI headquarters off Kiambu Road, Nairobi
Photo
DCI Kenya
Besides the summons, the DCI will also take other necessary steps, including taking the politicians to court in instances where they have collected sufficient evidence.
At the same time, the agency will also cooperate with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to assess necessary measures against the politicians as the country heads into the electioneering period.
The move comes amid a recent increase in political attacks and violence, with different politicians accusing their opponents of facilitating the attacks through the use of goons.
The National Police Service (NPS) had already pledged to submit the names of politicians linked to the attacks to the IEBC for a possible suspension from the coming elections.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli said the service will recommend to IEBC that individuals linked to political violence be barred from contesting in the 2027 General Election.
According to the DIG, the recommendations would target individuals whose track records show they have promoted or perpetrated violence in Kenya.
Police said their recommendations will specifically include those seeking elective positions in the coming elections and will write to the IEBC to ban them from contesting.
"We will recommend to the IEBC those individuals who are not fit to run for office based on their track record of promoting or perpetrating violence in Kenya," Masengeli said during the launch of the Roadmap to a Peaceful General Election 2027 on August 25, 2026.
The move comes amid renewed concerns over the increase in political violence ahead of the general elections, following incidents witnessed in political gatherings in recent weeks.
Politicians from across the political divide have been attacked, with the most recent one being the attack on Deputy President Kithure Kindiki's rally in Embu on September 12.
Following the attack, one person died while the police engaged the attackers in efforts to contain the situation. The incident also led to damage to property, including six cars, with some of the vehicles belonging to journalists.
A scene where a vehicles were torched after chaos broke out during DP Kithure Kindiki's rally in Embu and an insert of the DP on September 12, 2026.
Photo
Kenyans.co.ke