Youth launch nationwide anti-crime campaign ahead of 2027 elections

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A group of youth has launched a nationwide campaign against crime, political violence and their exploitation, with leaders from the Professional Criminologists Association of Kenya (PCAK), the National Police Service, the National Youth Council and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) urging young people to reject criminal activities and demand more constructive opportunities.

The youth-led initiative, launched in Nairobi under the banner “Crime Must Fall,” seeks to mobilise young people across Kenya’s 47 counties to take an active role in preventing crime while challenging the use of youth as instruments of violence and political mobilization.

The campaign is being spearheaded by the PCAK Youth Envoys under the Professional Criminologists Association of Kenya.

Speaking during the launch, IPOA Commissioner Kenwilliams Nyaomita described the campaign as a significant development, particularly because of its focus on young people, who he said are among those most affected by crime and its consequences.

Nyaomita added that the initiative provides an opportunity for young people to move away from being perceived primarily as perpetrators of crime and instead become active participants in crime prevention.

“For them to come up with an idea of actually walking with an intention to fight crime, it's ideally a very awesome idea,” Nyaomita said.

He called for all stakeholders to support the campaign and ensure that it develops into a sustained national programme rather than a one day event.

The commissioner also expressed concern about the growing association between young people and “goonism,” particularly in political and criminal contexts.

He urged young people to reject such exploitation, saying the country should not reach a point where an entire generation is routinely labelled as criminal.

The campaign comes as political attention begins to build around Kenya's 2027 general election, with speakers at the event warning against the use of young people to perpetrate political violence.

Victoria Kawera, Vice-Chairperson of the PCAK Youth Envoys, said the youth want a country where they can leave home in the morning without their families fearing for their safety.

“Our future is us and we are taking action today,” Kawera said.

Kawera argued that addressing youth involvement in crime requires more than simply creating jobs. Young people, she said, also need mentors and institutions willing to guide them toward productive opportunities.

 The National Police Service has urged young Kenyans to reject criminal groups and take a more active role in preventing crime, warning that the fight against insecurity cannot be left to police officers alone.

Speaking during the launch senior officer within criminal investigations Bridget Kanyai called on young people and members of the public to work closely with law enforcement agencies to identify, report and prevent criminal activities.

She also cautioned against stereotyping young people as criminals while acknowledging the fact that young people have been associated with crime should not result in every young person being treated as a criminal instead, suspected offences should be reported and investigated.