Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has dropped a political bombshell, confessing that the majority of Kenyan politicians maintain private militias for political protection and calling on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to arrest all politicians involved before the 2027 General Election.
The vocal legislator warned that Kenya risks sliding into “the Haiti way” if the culture of hired goons is not dismantled immediately.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei.
Mr Cherargei said detectives across the country have information about politicians who own goons and are using a cover-up method to avert dismantling the network of goons on the payroll of certain politicians.
“The truth is that the majority of us politicians, regardless of our political affiliations, have goons for our own protection. It is a dangerous trend that has been devolved to the county level to protect narrow interests. If the DCI does not move in swiftly to arrest such politicians and their sponsors now, Kenya is likely to become a lawless state like Haiti by 2027,” Senator Cherargei said.
Mr Cherargei further accused rogue police officers of hiring out government stores to individuals who terrorise peaceful Kenyans.
Speaking in Eldoret on Saturday, the Senator took a swipe at the DCI for “dilly-dallying” while political violence escalated. He cited the recent chaos witnessed during Linda Mwananchi rallies in Kitengela and Kakamega as a symptom of a deeper malaise.
“Detectives in this country know very well that, as politicians, we own goons, and they have remained silent. There are even certain politicians who own military uniforms and illegal guns. Police should be clear if they want us to go the American way, where every citizen can own weapons of their choice,” said Mr Cherargei.
A goon carrying a stone along Moi Avenue in Nairobi on June 17, 2025.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita| Nation Media Group
He alleged that politicians from both the government and the opposition own goons who are paid to offer protection, but he did not reveal how much each goon is paid.
The Senator pointed to a grim local example, noting that a politician is currently fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) after being attacked by suspected hired goons in Eldoret.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei speaks at the Kenya Assemblies of God (KAG) Church in Kapsabet.
Photo credit: Courtesy of NTV
Mr Cherargei challenged police to arrest politicians wearing police regalia in public and called on them to arrest all politicians who own goons and wear police regalia in public.
On political zoning, he called upon the government to allow all politicians to hold rallies across the country without being attacked by police.
He regretted that if the police are not firm on the goons and do not allow all politicians to conduct their rallies without interference, the country risks going Haiti’s way.
“The current trend of using goons is a ticking time bomb. I am calling upon the police in Eldoret to stop talking and start arresting every suspect involved in the recent attack on our colleague. No one should be above the law, regardless of their political status,” he added.
On matters of corruption, the Senator told the Council of Governors (CoG) to stop diverting attention from the fight against corruption by accusing the Senate of targeting them. Mr Cherargei declared that the Senate would not be “coerced or intimidated” by threats from county chiefs facing audit queries.
He urged the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to fast-track the arrest of governors accused of embezzling public funds through inflated procurement costs—a vice he claimed is rampant across the country, including his home county of Nandi.
“Governors must stop misappropriating resources meant for the people. They should borrow a leaf from former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, who is now languishing in prison. The Senate Public Accounts Committee will name and shame you, but we want the EACC to handcuff you before we even get there,” the Senator warned.
Goons on Moi Avenue in Nairobi on June 17, 2025 during protests following the death of Kenyan blogger Albert Ojwang.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
To ensure that the 2027 elections are not compromised by violence or a lack of resources, Cherargei revealed that the Senate is preparing a motion to bolster the coffers of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to create a conducive working environment ahead of the 2027 general election.
“To ensure a credible and transparent General Election in 2027, we are going to pass a motion in the Senate to factor in additional funding of Sh63 billion for the IEBC. We must empower the commission early to avoid the last-minute rush and logistical hitches,” he added.
