Mandera South MP Abdul Haro has cautioned that Kenya's growing goonism could develop into a self-perpetuating criminal enterprise unless the country tackles its underlying causes, including youth unemployment, poverty and social exclusion.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Monday, Abdul called for a national conversation on the escalating problem, arguing that political sponsorship and economic hardship are driving the rise of organised groups involved in violence.
He said goonism was no longer confined to election seasons or political campaigns, noting that such groups were increasingly active in public spaces and at political events.
According to the legislator, the trend reflects deeper socio-economic challenges that require coordinated and long-term interventions.
MP Abdul argued that lasting peace cannot be achieved while many young people remain without jobs, education or opportunities, saying these conditions create an environment in which criminal groups can flourish.
"You can never have a situation where you can say our society is totally peaceful. If we have people who are sleeping hungry, people who are jobless, people who don't have a roof over their head, people who feel they are disenfranchised, and they cannot make account for their vote because they believe their vote was stolen, so long as there are those conditions in a country, you can never have a situation of total peace," he said.
The MP noted that Kenya's rapidly growing youth population presents both an opportunity and a significant challenge, warning that failure to invest in education and employment would leave many young people vulnerable to criminal activity.
He pointed to projections showing continued population growth in northern Kenya and said the country must expand access to education, skills training and employment opportunities to prevent growing frustration among young people.
"If you don't have institutions where we can give them proper education, so that they can have a skill and a certificate, at least there is hope. But if you don't have a certificate and you have never gone to school and you have never had any skill, this person is a hopeless person, and that's a very dangerous person."
The legislator's remarks come amid Political goonism becoming an increasing concern in Kenya, with organised gangs accused of disrupting political meetings, intimidating rivals and attacking public gatherings ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Recent incidents have been reported in Kikuyu, Gilgil, Ruiru, Meru and Keumbu in Kisii County, where the Linda Mwananchi convoy, which included former Chief Justice David Maraga and other opposition leaders, was attacked along the Kisii-Keroka Road on July 3, forcing police intervention.
The government is intensifying the crackdown on politically sponsored gangs, with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen warning that organised criminal groups will be dismantled through coordinated security operations.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has stepped up investigations into recent attacks by reviewing CCTV and video evidence, identifying financiers and perpetrators, and making arrests.
Following the Keumbu violence, three suspects were arrested by DCI officers from Kisii Central and Keumbu Police Station, while detectives continue forensic analysis of footage to identify additional suspects as police pledge to prosecute all those involved, including sponsors of political violence.
Furthermore, the legislator added that unemployment remained widespread across the country, with many graduates struggling to find work despite completing their education, while advances in artificial intelligence and automation were further reducing employment opportunities.
He warned that although goonism may currently be driven by politicians or other individuals pursuing personal interests, it could eventually sustain itself through economic necessity.
"The culture of goonism is, in a way, right now being propelled by selfish individuals, whether politicians or traders. But soon it will become a self-compelling industry because if you don't have a job, you will be coming to me and say, 'I have this capacity, I can help people have enemies.' It becomes a trade."
While noting that Mandera had not yet experienced widespread goonism, MP Abdul cautioned that no region was immune from its effects.
He concluded by calling for a national conversation on the issue and urged law enforcement agencies to act against those financing criminal groups, warning that isolated incidents could quickly develop into a nationwide security challenge if left unchecked.