DCI targets criminal gang leaders and financiers ahead of 2027 Elections

DCI has vowed to dismantle criminal networks, including those operating behind the scenes, as security agencies intensify preparations for the 2027 General Election.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) says it is developing an investigative preparedness plan targeting criminal gangs suspected of involvement in election-related violence, intimidation and disruption of electoral processes.

The plan was presented to senior police commanders during a two-day sensitisation meeting at the National Police Leadership Academy (NPLA) in Ngong, Nairobi, running from October 29 to 30, 2026.

The meeting brought together Regional, Formation and County Commanders to strengthen coordination and ensure security agencies are prepared to detect, investigate and disrupt criminal activities that could threaten the electoral process.

Representing the Director of Criminal Investigations, the Director of Operations at DCI headquarters, Samson Kiptum, Senior Assistant Inspector General (SAIG), briefed the commanders on the agency's mandate-specific approach to election security.

Kiptum said criminal gangs remained among the biggest threats to peaceful elections, warning that organised groups could be hired to intimidate voters, attack political rallies, harass candidates and interfere with electoral activities.

He emphasised the need for investigators to move beyond targeting individuals involved in street-level violence and instead pursue those who organise, recruit and finance criminal operations.

The DCI outlined an approach that prioritises identifying the leadership structures and financial networks behind criminal gangs, alongside their operational methods and locations.

"Criminal gangs should be dismantled at the top, not just on the streets," the agency said in its statement.

Under the proposed strategy, investigators will map gang leaders, their hierarchies, financiers, hideouts and modus operandi before pursuing intelligence-led and evidence-based investigations.

The approach is intended to expose the individuals coordinating criminal activities and disrupt the networks supporting election-related violence before the country enters the heightened political period surrounding the 2027 polls.

The DCI also called on senior police commanders to strengthen intelligence sharing and operational coordination across their respective jurisdictions.

Commanders were urged to share intelligence in real time, work collectively and establish early-warning systems linked to the electoral calendar to identify potential security threats before they escalate.

The agency further highlighted the importance of community engagement in preventing election-related criminal activities.

It encouraged police commanders to work closely with local communities, Nyumba Kumi structures and local leaders to improve the identification and reporting of suspicious activities.

The strategy places emphasis on proactive investigations and early intervention rather than waiting for criminal incidents to occur before taking action.

The two-day meeting forms part of broader security preparations aimed at ensuring a peaceful, secure and credible 2027 General Election.

The DCI maintained that investigative preparedness and coordinated planning would be crucial in protecting the electoral process and maintaining public confidence in the country's democratic institutions.

It reaffirmed its commitment to detecting and investigating election-related offences that could undermine public safety and confidence in the 2027 General Election.

The preparations come as security agencies begin positioning themselves for the next electoral cycle, with the DCI placing organised criminal networks and their financiers among the potential threats requiring early intervention.