IG Kanja warns against gangs ahead of 2027 election

The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, has warned that the police will not tolerate hired goons and criminal gangs across the country ahead of the 2027 general election.

Speaking at the Kenya School of Government in Mutunga during a meeting with senior officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Kanja emphasised that security agencies are intensifying efforts to deal decisively with gangs often used to settle political scores.

Kanja noted that the upcoming general election is about 15 months away, stressing that the National Police Service (NPS) plays a critical role in ensuring the right environment for Kenyans to freely elect their leaders.

He explained that preparations are already underway at the strategic level and will cascade down to operational units.

“Next year’s general election is not far away. The National Police Service must continue to prepare itself. Preparations start at the strategic level and then move down,” he said.

He assured Kenyans that the National Police Service is committed to creating a peaceful environment for citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

“We don’t have space for these criminals. Our business is dealing with criminals, and these are some of the strategies we are discussing with senior leadership to ensure gangs are done away with,” Kanja said.

Kanja also revealed that 10,000 newly recruited police officers are currently undergoing training at the Kiganjo Police Training College.

He added that capacity-building programs for officers are ongoing nationwide to strengthen the service’s readiness ahead of the polls.

On matters of supporting the police, he said the salary increment, which is set to begin in July 2026, is a step towards addressing police welfare.

“Such government efforts are a way of giving morale to our officers, with housing programs taking shape. We want that effort to be doubled to ensure police officers are adequately accommodated,” he noted.

In recent weeks, Kanja has held a series of high-level meetings with police leadership to align strategies.

Last week, he convened a strategic session with regional and formation commanders at the National Police Leadership Academy in Ngong.