hired goons Stories

Kenya faces crisis as unrest escalates and unimplemented reforms haunt calls for dialogue
Mary Wambui  |  Jul 08, 2025

This week, the wave of violence took a tribal turn when some leaders claimed that the violence is domiciled in Central Kenya, where alleged hired thug...

Terror in theatre: Goons storm Kitengela Hospital, disrupt ongoing C-section
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jul 08, 2025

KOGS also criticised the police response to the wider Saba Saba demonstrations, which they said created dangerous conditions for pregnant women and si...

Politician offered goons Sh100,000 to assault, disrupt my protest coverage - Larry Madowo
Bashir Mbuthia  |  Jul 07, 2025

According to Madowo, the planned attack included directives to beat him up, smash CNN's equipment and disrupt their coverage of the protests.

LSK, Police Reforms Working Group condemn storming of KHRC offices ahead of Saba Saba protests
Bashir Mbuthia  |  Jul 06, 2025

According to LSK and PRWG, nearly 100 individuals, including mothers and children of victims of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances and j...

Ex-CJ David Maraga slams President William Ruto after armed goons storm KHRC offices
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jul 06, 2025

The Sunday incident occurred at KHRC’s offices along Gitanga Road, where a press conference had been convened by Kenyan mothers and human rights defen...

Three activists linked to June 25 protests freed on bail as police probe arson, looting
Carolyne Kubwa  |  Jul 02, 2025

In her ruling, Magistrate Irene Kahuya upheld the suspects' constitutional rights to liberty and bail, ordering their release on a cash bail of Sh200,...

Organised gangs from Nairobi slums tied to Gen Z protests, report warns of 2027 election risks
Mary Wambui  |  Jul 02, 2025

The report by Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime links recent violent attacks on peaceful protestors to organised criminal gangs...

Ex-Interior CS Matiang’i blames NIS for failing to detect hired goons in anti-government protests
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jul 01, 2025

Matiang'i noted that NIS is sophisticated enough to track such activities well in advance, warning that failure to act raises serious concerns about t...

IPOA probes police for using live ammunition, excessive force during Gen Z protests
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jun 25, 2025

IPOA said it observed violations during its nationwide monitoring of the National Police Service’s conduct in managing public order during the Gen Z a...

Kenya hits back at foreign envoys over call to protect civic freedoms during June 25 protests
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jun 24, 2025

Envoys from 12 countries issued a joint statement calling on President William Ruto’s administration to respect citizens’ right to peaceful protest an...

LSK vows legal action over alleged plot to deploy armed gangs ahead during protests
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jun 24, 2025

LSK particularly condemned Tiaty MP William Kamket over a viral video in which he appears to threaten to mobilise armed bandits to confront demonstrat...

Police warn traders against hiring goons as guards ahead of June 25 protests, say it's illegal
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jun 23, 2025

Police Spokesperson Michael Muchiri warned that hiring youths for protest security is illegal and could lead to arrest for disrupting public order.

Charles Owino defends police, slams politicians over protest chaos
Rachael Mutabasi  |  Jun 19, 2025

According to Owino, most protest-related deaths occurred during politically charged demonstrations, not ordinary police operations.

Opinion: State-sponsored violence? Police look the other way as goons attack Nairobi protesters
Amina Wako  |  Jun 18, 2025

This wasn’t a clash between police and protesters. It was a one-sided war, with civilians caught between the state’s tear gas and the thugs’ clubs.

Blood on the streets: Protesters shot, beaten as police and goons unleash brutality in Kenya
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jun 17, 2025

KNCHR largely blamed the violence on police brutality and assaults by hired goons working in coordination with law enforcement.

Tension high in Nairobi as protesters, boda boda riders clash in CBD, motorcycles set ablaze
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jun 17, 2025

Two motorcycles were burned, and a rider was badly beaten by angry protesters who accused the group of attempting to disrupt the peaceful demonstratio...

DCI arrests two suspects caught on video robbing people during Ruto's Nairobi tour
Joseph Ndunda  |  Mar 19, 2025

Two mobile phones recovered from the two suspects will be forwarded to the DCI Cybercrime Unit for analysis.

Police negligence behind Nyandarua chaos at Gachagua’s event - IPOA
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jan 03, 2025

According to IPOA, despite prior intelligence indicating potential disruptions, no operation order was prepared to manage the event’s security.

Gachagua allies demand probe into Limuru chaos, accuse police of abducting ex-MP Mwathi
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Nov 29, 2024

Thang'wa stated that Mwathi was taken away by men in Subaru vehicles, and he accused the DCI of refusing to provide information on the former MP's whe...

Eastleigh businessman loses Sh1.5m to vandals during anti-govt demos 
Abdirahman Khalif  |  Jul 17, 2024

CCTV footage showed goons breaking into the area holding gas cylinders and making away with all of them. They also broke into the office, destroying c...

Don't disregard constitution over isolated cases of demo infiltration by goons, state told
Mary Wambui  |  Jul 03, 2024

Article 19 and several other organisations want leaders in the security sector to act in the public's interest, facilitating the freedom to assemble,...

15 people arrested following Tuesday's chaotic Mombasa protests
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jul 03, 2024

Mombasa County Commissioner Mahmoud Noor condemned the violence and added that 15 people were arrested in connection with the chaos.

Gen Zs urged to pause protests as goons infiltrate businesses, cause chaos
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jul 02, 2024

Among the affected were Qaffe Point Restaurant in Mombasa, Quickmart Supermarket in Mtwapa, and the Nairobi Expressway in Mlolongo.

Residents in fear as machete-wielding gangs in Ukunda hijack anti-tax protests, cause mayhem
Mishi Gongo  |  Jul 02, 2024

Unlike previous protests, the criminals posing as demonstrators were in rugged clothes and armed with machetes and crude weapons.

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