Goons for who?: Thin line between youth networks and gangs for hire

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has built a reputation as a polished civil servant whose empowerment programmes have touched families across the country. Yet he now finds himself at the centre of mounting controversy, with critics alleging that some beneficiaries of those initiatives have morphed into political foot soldiers accused of disrupting rival rallies ahead of next year’s General Election.

For a senior official in one of the government’s most powerful dockets, Omollo’s profile has risen sharply, particularly in Nyanza and parts of Western Kenya. Admirers credit him with mobilising youth and women’s groups through state-linked initiatives and with strengthening President William Ruto’s foothold in a region long considered an opposition bastion. Among supporters, he has earned the moniker “Super PS” for regularly attending public events and dishing out assistance.

But detractors argue that the line between empowerment and political patronage is blurring. Beneath the surface, they say, is a troubling resurgence of organised youth gangs allegedly operating with political backing. Some residents claim that such groups have appeared at events linked to the PS, at times moving alongside police officers under the guise of providing “security”.

Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that networks of mobilised youth — including boda boda riders and unemployed young men — are paid to attend state-sponsored meetings and political functions. Payments reportedly range from Sh500 to Sh1,000, with riders sometimes receiving fuel as part of the package. Mobilisation is said to be coordinated through local leaders who organise different categories of youth.

According to insiders, Omollo has point persons across Nyanza and Western Kenya tasked with grassroots coordination. Supporters insist the PS cannot be held responsible for the conduct of individuals who act independently. Critics, however, argue that as a senior Interior official, he bears responsibility for curbing criminality and political hooliganism.

Efforts to obtain a response from Omollo were unsuccessful by the time of publication, with his communications team indicating they would revert.

In recent weeks, tensions have flared around parallel political rallies in Siaya and Kakamega. Youths on motorbikes descended on a Kisumu hotel where Siaya Governor James Orengo and ODM deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi were reportedly meeting, prompting police to fire teargas to disperse them. Less than a day later, another group gathered near Kisumu International Airport amid reports that opposition leaders were travelling for the Linda Mwananchi rally in Kakamega. The Kenya Airports Authority later denied that the airport had been breached.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has publicly accused the PS of presiding over insecurity linked to the rallies, claiming that armed youths are being deployed for political expediency. He has called for Omollo to be held accountable over violent incidents reported in Kitengela and Kakamega.

In Vihiga and Kakamega counties, rival political camps have traded accusations of hiring youths to provide “security” or disrupt meetings. Boda boda riders and touts operating along the Kisumu–Kakamega highway are said to have been among those approached, with payments allegedly ranging from Sh1,000 to Sh5,000 depending on influence and numbers mobilised.

In Mbale town, tensions escalated into running battles ahead of a weekend rally. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as rival groups clashed, while police vehicles reportedly patrolled the area. Similar incidents were reported at the Amelemba Grounds in Kakamega, where youths clad in military-style attire roamed the town. Some were said to be chanting pro-government slogans, and others were accused of attempting to intimidate opponents.

One supporter who requested anonymity claimed that plans to forcibly disrupt a rival camp were abandoned after some recruits deemed the risk too high. Instead, they were instructed to ride around town chanting slogans.

The incidents mirror a broader national pattern in which political gatherings have been disrupted by organised groups as security officers appear reluctant or slow to intervene. Observers say the trend is worrying as the country edges closer to the 2027 elections.

In Kisumu, sections of the boda boda fraternity have accused the PS of selective empowerment, alleging that proximity to power determines access to state-linked benefits. Others defend Omollo, saying he has been responsive to community needs and present at times of crisis.

According to Kisumu Residents Voice Association chairman Audi Ogada, Omollo has tried to be a present leader, often coming in to extend support, especially to needy members of the communities in the Nyanza region.

He, however, urged him to cut ties with some of his associates linked to criminal activities and allow the security teams at the local level to deal with them in accordance with the law.

"Raymond Omollo is one of the most polished leaders in the country. He works with a lot of humility, and his response to the plight of needy people is also commendable. The issue of goons, however tainting him negatively. Several people closely linked to him are often associated with activities of political goons in Luo Nyanza, and that has really caused serious resentment against him," Audi stated.

According to Audi, the widespread claims that the PS has failed to address the issue of goons in the region stem from the fact that most of those linked to hooliganism from the region are alleged to have ties with the PS.

"There are concerns that some senior police officers, especially in the Nyanza region, are actually scared because there are certain youths whom they can't arrest since they are perceived to be closer to Ray or to be sponsored by Ray," he stated.

Audi's comments were reiterated by human rights activist Chris Owalla, who believes that the Interior PS has failed to deliver on his core mandate of providing maximum security in the country as the man in charge of the Interior docket.

Owalla expressed his concerns over the growing increase in incidents of political violence in the country.

"We are heading towards elections, and the issue of goons is on the rise. That's a worrying trend. That is what he needs to rein in, but he has failed to do that," Owalla said.

Rights activist Jimmy Magero, on his part, called on the PS to rise to the occasion and ensure that political goons are dealt with, especially in the Nyanza region, where they are presiding over a reign of terror.

Human rights activist Chris Owalla echoed concerns about rising political violence, warning that failure to act decisively could embolden lawlessness as electioneering intensifies. Jimmy Magero, another rights campaigner, said residents expect stronger action from a senior Interior official, particularly in his home region.

"As the Interior PS, the buck always stops with him, and, as residents of the Nyanza region, we expect him to understand that charity begins at home. We can't have a violent Kisumu, a violent Luo Nyanza when we have one of our own sitting at the helm of the security docket. We want PS Omollo to ensure that we have political tolerance so that we don't continue to lose lives the way it has been happening," Magero said.

But according to former President of the East Africa Law Society James Mwamu, the Interior ministry PS has performed fairly well ever since he rose to the powerful docket. His undoing, however, he said, is his tendency to get entangled in local politics.

"The office he occupies is very strong because it has the police and the provincial administration. Also, the economy is bad, and people are hungry, so many people, especially the youths, rely on that office to get help, so it's always that whoever occupies the office and uses it well becomes very influential," Mwamu said.

He also defended Omollo over an alleged failure to end the culture of goons, saying that the goon culture is deeply rooted in the country and requires a multifaceted approach to combat.

Joshua Nyamori, a political analyst, maintained that Omollo is a performer whose rise and popularity in the Nyanza region originate from his style of leadership, which he described as "people-focused."

"Raymond Omollo is doing his work well as the PS for Interior, this is not just in Nyanza but in the whole country. In Nyanza, I want to commend him for improving the relationship between Nyanza residents and the security agencies, especially the police," Nyamori stated.