Resurgence of Violent Gangs Amid Economic Hardship

A recent study by the National Crime Research Centre has raised alarm over a sharp uptick in gang activity in Kenya, painting a worrying picture of public safety. According to the survey—conducted in late 2024 across 11 counties—82.3 percent of Kenyans believe criminal gangs are active and increasingly visible in their communities. Key indicators prompting this concern include reports of violence, intimidation, drug trafficking, and recruitment of young people into gang networks. The Standard+2The Standard+2
The study, titled The Proliferation and Resilience of Criminal Gangs in Kenya, reveals that gang operations are no longer confined to a few urban areas. Gangs are now widely perceived in places such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Garissa. The Standard+2The Standard+2 The report links the persistence of gangs to various social and economic issues: 91.5 percent of respondents say peer influence plays a role, while 88.5 percent cited high unemployment and poverty. Other contributing factors noted include the ready availability of illegal drugs, weak family support systems, and political manipulation. The Standard+1
Officials are sounding the alarm. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking at a security meeting in Mombasa, emphasized that gangs now threaten national security—not just through petty crime, but through organized extortion, robbery, political intimidation, and even infiltration into the security sector. The Standard A separate government‑sanctioned report warns that more than 300 distinct gangs are active in the sampled counties, with involvement in serious crimes such as murder, human trafficking, rape, and contract killings. The Standard
In response to these findings, experts are calling for urgent policy action. The report recommends strengthening law enforcement, improving community policing, and building stronger partnerships between justice agencies and local communities. The Standard+1 There is also a push to tackle the root causes driving youth into gangs—with proposed interventions such as job creation, expanded social services, and educational programmes. As these criminal networks expand their reach, many Kenyans are watching closely to see whether the state will move beyond warnings and take decisive steps to dismantle the gangs undermining the country’s security.