Policy and governance expert Alfred Omenya has criticized both the government and the opposition, accusing them of “thuggery,” failed leadership and a dangerous abdication of responsibility, warning that Kenya is drifting toward instability as floods loom and the 2027 elections approach.
He reacted to recent security incidents, including the use of tear gas in a Nyeri church on January 25, 2026, in which DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua was in attendance.
Speaking in an interview on Radio Generation on Thursday, Omenya said the conduct of both sides has made it nearly impossible for the public to know the truth.
“The problem we now have is a problem of thuggery, where government is behaving as thugs and the opposition is behaving as thugs,” he said, adding that with both camps “well-known thugs, it becomes almost impossible to believe either.”
Omenya argued that the state has a constitutional and legal duty to clearly explain what happens during security failures, rather than deflecting blame or offering vague explanations.
“We pay taxes… for the people who work for us to tell us these things that we are grappling with,” he said. “It is not for Gachagua to explain what happened. It is for government. Government has a responsibility, a constitutional responsibility, and they have the resources.”
He described the government’s response as evasive and unacceptable, saying, “This pussy-footing by government is not acceptable,” and criticised senior officials for what he termed “pedestrian” handling of serious national issues.
Omenya also expressed frustration over allegations of looting and corruption, saying accountability is consistently shifted away from those in power.
“You never see any sort of direct responsibility from government. It’s like the problem is from somewhere else,” he said.
While deeply critical of political leadership, Omenya said his greatest concern lies ahead. He warned that Kenya is heading into a volatile period marked by floods, intensified political campaigns and historically violent elections.
“We are very sure that the floods are coming,” he said, cautioning that political actors would soon “multiply like a plague.”
Referring to warnings by some politicians that the 2027 polls would be worse than the 2007–2008 post-election violence, Omenya said the government must urgently reassure citizens.
“We need to have confidence that we have a government that is in charge,” he said, stressing that intelligence and history already show where violence is likely to erupt. “The only issue is, how do you stop the fight? This is not good for a government that should show it is prepared.”
Omenya's criticism follows a dramatic incident at a church service attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on January 25, 2026, in Othaya Nyeri County, where teargas were reportedly lobbed, forcing him and clerics to leave the church premises after chaos erupted, allegedly when individuals in plain clothes, suspected to be officers, arrived at the church and started lobbing teargas.
The incident, which involved the deployment of tear gas and live bullets, left civilians and churchgoers trapped inside the place of worship, while vehicles outside were torched and vandalized.
