'We're on your radar!' Murkomen warns drug cartels financing goonism

Speaking in Nyeri County, Murkomen warned that individuals using proceeds from the illegal trade to fund goonism are firmly on the radar of security agencies.

He said the government had strengthened the Anti-Narcotics Unit and was targeting manufacturers, suppliers and financiers of illicit drugs and alcohol.

"From the President's directive, we have strengthened the Anti-Narcotics Unit and are doing direct crackdowns on manufacturers and suppliers. We have earmarked some of them, closed down their factories and are targeting those financing goonism. I want to tell them that we're on their radar," Murkomen said.

Murkomen's warning comes amid heightened concern over political violence and the involvement of organised groups in criminal activities.

The Interior CS recently revealed that 1,189 people had been jailed over goonism-related offences in the past four years.

Appearing before the Senate, Murkomen said 1,053 of those incarcerated were men, while 136 were women.

"This is enough evidence for the people who say that police are doing nothing to arrest goons. You can see that until now, 1,189 are being incarcerated," Murkomen stated.

He further disclosed that more than 120,000 young people had been imprisoned in Kenya between 2022 and 2026 for various criminal offences.

Of those, 11,824 were jailed for offences linked to gang activity, violent extremism and goonism.

"The total number of youths imprisoned for these offences stands at 11,824. Sentences imposed by courts for the above offences vary depending on the gravity of the offence committed," Murkomen stated.

The CS said the government was also pursuing measures to address the underlying factors driving crime among young people, including unemployment and economic vulnerability.

He cited programmes such as the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, the Ajira Digital Programme and employment opportunities under the Affordable Housing Programme.

Murkomen also identified illicit alcohol and drug abuse as contributing factors to crime among young people, saying the government was stepping up efforts to tackle the trade.