Homa Bay Clashes Highlight Rising Threat of Gang Violence Ahead of Kenya’s 2027 Elections
Violence in Homa Bay exposes growing use of gangs in Kenyan politics, raising concerns over stability as 2027 elections approach.
By John Mtongoi Newsroom
August 22, 2026
2 min read
Homa Bay County, a western Kenya region noted for its democratic progress in the 2022 elections, has recently been marred by deadly political violence. The clashes in Homa Bay town left two dead, including a police officer, and injured 46 others, alongside property destruction.
The county’s governor, Gladys Wanga, one of Kenya’s prominent political figures and chairperson of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), has been accused by opponents of orchestrating attacks targeting supporters of the Linda Mwananchi Movement during their campaign tour. Wanga denies these claims, instead blaming rival leaders from Siaya County and Nairobi for inciting the unrest.
Linda Mwananchi, initially an ODM faction opposing the party’s collaboration with President William Ruto, has evolved into a youth-driven movement advocating generational leadership change. Its supporters back Senator Edwin Sifuna as a potential opposition presidential candidate in 2027.
The conflict in Homa Bay reflects deeper power struggles within the Luo community and ODM leadership following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who had dominated Nyanza politics for decades.
Rising Political Violence and Gang Involvement
The recent unrest underscores a worrying trend of political figures leveraging organised gangs to intimidate opponents ahead of the 2027 elections. Historical investigations into the 2007/2008 post-election violence revealed similar patterns of criminal gangs being mobilised by politicians.
Smaller-scale violence has also been reported in other parts of Kenya during by-elections, signalling a broader national challenge.
- The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) warns that politically-linked gangs, often called 'goons,' are increasingly involved in election-related violence.
- ACLED analysts suggest that the degree of opposition unity will influence the scale and coordination of such violence.
- Kenya’s Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen has acknowledged the existence of over 100 organised gangs nationwide, with government efforts underway to enhance surveillance and law enforcement in hotspot areas.
The Homa Bay incident serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threat gang violence poses to Kenya’s political stability and democratic processes as the country prepares for the next general elections.
