President William Ruto has directed Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to take firm action against criminal groups accused of infiltrating political functions and perpetrating violence across the country.

The order follows a series of chaotic incidents during recent by-elections and political events, raising fresh concerns over the use of hired gangs as tools of intimidation within Kenya’s political arena.

Speaking at the Administration Police Training College in Embakasi, where he presided over the graduation of 5,892 chiefs and assistant chiefs trained in security management and paralegal studies, President Ruto condemned the rising cases of politically sponsored violence

He warned that individuals deploying youths to disrupt public events or cause unrest would face the full force of the law.

“Those who are using young people to cause chaos, disrupt citizens and jeopardize national security will be dealt with. I have instructed the Inspector General to take decisive legal action to bring this to an end,” the President said.

Read Also: Interior CS Murkomen Vows To Tackle Political Goons

The directive comes in the wake of opposition claims that the government has been complicit—or at minimum passive—in the face of violence linked to pro-government groups.

Critics argue that security agencies have selectively enforced the law, allegedly allowing gangs aligned with the state to operate freely while clamping down on opposition-linked gatherings.

Tensions escalated further after a violent confrontation in Kariobangi North on Sunday during a church function attended by DCP Party Leader Rigathi Gachagua.

Rival groups clashed openly, sparking public outrage and prompting Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to reiterate the government’s stance.

“What we saw yesterday in Nairobi is unacceptable. We will not tolerate individuals using hired goons to undermine security institutions and create disorder,” Murkomen said.

However, the Interior CS did not address earlier incidents reported during the Mbeere North, Malava and Kasipul by-elections, where political gangs armed with crude weapons allegedly disrupted campaigns.

In Malava, property worth millions was destroyed after vehicles linked to DAP-K candidate Seth Panyako were attacked and torched. In Mbeere North, groups reportedly walked freely with weapons while police were accused of dispersing only opposition supporters using teargas.

The growing unrest has revived uncomfortable memories of Kenya’s long-standing history with politically linked militia activity.

From the 1990s, when criminal groups were used to silence opposition voices, to the resurgence of gangs during recent protests in Nairobi, the concern is that unchecked violence could again become a tool of political influence.

The Mungiki sect—banned and later aggressively suppressed by the NARC government in 2004—remains one of the most notable examples of how criminal networks intertwined with politics can evolve into national security threats.