A chilling warning has emerged from the pulpit: Archbishop Dominic Kimengich has sounded the alarm over the weaponisation of unemployed youth by politicians, warning that Kenya risks "sliding into anarchy" ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The Archbishop’s intervention strikes at the heart of a growing national security crisis. Speaking from Eldoret as he prepares to move to Mombasa, Kimengich did not mince words. He described a political culture where "goons" are no longer just hired muscle for rallies, but a protected class operating with impunity, often under the nose of the police. "The country now risks sliding into anarchy if the government and the police do not dismantle these groups," he declared, effectively accusing the state of complicity through inaction.

The Privatisation of Violence

The Archbishop's concerns echo a disturbing reality observed across the country, particularly in Western Kenya and Nairobi. Reports indicate that MCAs and MPs are maintaining standing armies of 100 to 500 youths, paid stipends to disrupt funerals, intimidate opponents, and even raid churches. This is not random violence; it is organised crime with a political mandate.

Kimengich pointed out the terrifying breakdown of order: "People are acting with complete disregard for the law... even when goons disrupt church services in the presence of police." This brazenness suggests that these gangs enjoy political cover from the highest levels, rendering the uniformed police force impotent bystanders.

• The International Angle: The clergy is not alone in this fear. Western envoys have previously issued joint statements warning against the use of hired agitators to infiltrate protests. The ghost of the 2007 post-election violence hangs heavy over these warnings.
• The Youth Crisis: At the core of this issue is the desperation of the youth. As CS Murkomen noted in past remarks, "goonism" has become a business for the jobless. Politicians are exploiting economic despair to build private militias, turning the demographic dividend into a demographic disaster.

A Call to Action

Archbishop Kimengich’s statement is a moral indictment of the political class. By normalizing violence as a tool of mobilization, leaders are sowing seeds that will be harvested in blood come 2027. The transition of Kimengich to the Archdiocese of Mombasa places a vocal critic in a key political region.

The question remains: Will the Ministry of Interior heed this warning and crack down on the warlords within its own government, or will the "goon economy" continue to flourish until it consumes the state itself?