The storming of a church in Nairobi by goons on Friday last week, who disrupted a post-budget analysis conference, shows that despite public outrage, rogue government and political elements are still hell-bent on deploying draconian tactics to ward off criticism and assumed threats to their careers.
It is hard to convince even a dimwit that the scores of motorbike-riding goons sat down, analysed the Finance Bill 2026 that had been tabled before Parliament by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi only a day earlier, concluded that it was beyond reproach and vowed to shield it from public scrutiny through their crude tactics. The truth of the matter is that the majority of the so-called goons have no inkling of the contents of the Bill.
They were merely out to make a few coins, dished out by people who were too happy with the Finance Bill, so much so that they would not fathom anyone poking holes in it. Who would be so obsessed with this Bill to the point of engaging goons to forcefully deny Kenyans their constitutional right to scrutinise it? Most likely, the mayhem was organised by, and one of the suspected goons arrested during the ruckus reportedly alluded to it, someone senior in government.
All said and done, the Friday attack was unsurprising as Kenyans have witnessed many cases in the past of goons armed with crude weapons being deployed to disrupt Opposition meetings, including in churches. During the 2024 Gen Z demonstrations, hundreds of goons armed with batons worked hand in hand with police officers to terrorise the protesters, leaving little doubt as to who had bankrolled them. Kenyans also witnessed goons violently disrupting a church service attended by Democracy for the Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa in Mwiki, Nairobi, with police officers in tow.
There are many other such incidents. And while fingers have been pointed at political leaders, nothing has been done to them. Seemingly, there is no end in sight to this madness.
But Kenyans want an end to the nonsense now. The government has the monopoly on violence, which should be exercised within the law. When this power is donated to criminal elements, as has been happening, a nation takes its first step into the abyss.
If the civil society groups' meeting at the All Saints’ Cathedral, Nairobi, was illegal, or they were planning something hideous against the government or Kenyans, the most sensible action was for police officers to step in and make an arrest, not unleashing goons who have no role at all in law enforcement.
Whenever goons strike, security officials led by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen promise to take action, but their inaction emboldens the criminals, the goons and their masterminds even more. It's time for these officials to stop paying lip service to this serious problem.
They must take the bull by the horns. They must arrest and prosecute the leaders, within and without government, who are busy fattening this monster that might devour our country. Kenyans are watching. History will judge those in the security docket harshly if they do not act.
