A new study by the National Crime Research Centre reveals a resurgence of criminal gangs across Kenya. Conducted in 11 counties, the study found that 82.3 percent of Kenyans believe criminal gangs are active, citing key indicators such as increased gang-related crimes, violence, intimidation, and growing influence in youth groups.

Other indicators include witness accounts of suspicious activities at odd hours, visible gang operations in public spaces, fear among residents to report crimes, expansion into previously unaffected areas, and rising recruitment of vulnerable individuals.

Visibility of gang activity was rated at 87.6 percent, with over 76 percent of respondents in each county confirming such incidents. A majority, 83.6 percent, reported gangs as widespread in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi, Nakuru, Bungoma, Kwale, Kiambu, Machakos, Kisumu, Busia, and Garissa.

The highest levels of gang activity were reported in Kisumu (89.3%), followed by Busia (88.7%) and Bungoma (88.4%), according to the study titled The Proliferation and Resilience of Criminal Gangs in Kenya, conducted between November and December 2024.

The findings come amid growing security concerns in the coastal region, where Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen held several meetings last week.

In the survey, the proliferation of gangs was 83.4 percent in Mombasa, followed by Kilifi, 78.2 percent, and Kwale, 71.1 percent. Other counties sampled were Garissa, 88.2 percent, and Nairobi, 88.1 percent, while in Nakuru it was 84.4 percent.

The findings pointed to the deep entrenchment of gangs in local communities, bringing out regional variation in gang proliferation and expansion while exposing the adaptability and resilience of gangs in the face of concerted efforts to suppress them.

Persistence of gangs was linked to: peer pressure and influence (91.5%), vulnerabilities associated with high unemployment and poverty (88.5%), availability of illegal drugs (79.7%), broken or poor social and/or family support systems (67.3%), inadequate formal education among youth (53.9%), political exploitation (42.9%), and community cultural and social tolerance of criminal gangs at 38.3 per cent.

Other factors include underdevelopment and marginalization (29.7%), corruption among rogue government officials (27.5%), inadequate social services (22.9%), weak security policing of criminal gangs (22.2%), poor coordination among existing criminal justice agencies and other actors (15.6%), ready markets for stolen items (14.8%), weak prosecution of criminal gang members (12.2%), and inadequately sustained youth empowerment initiatives at 12.2 per cent.

A total sample size of 1,314 was targeted in the survey, but only 1,119 respondents were reached, representing a response rate of 85.2 per cent.

The findings reveal the widespread presence of criminal gangs across various counties, detailing their operations, and the socio-economic and structural factors that sustain them.

“The proliferation and resilience of criminal gangs pose a growing threat to national security. Across Kenya, these groups are involved in extortion, drug trafficking, robbery, and political violence, with far-reaching activities that significantly hinder the country’s development,” states the report.

Key policy recommendations include strengthening law enforcement and the criminal justice system, enhancing community engagement and public awareness, addressing socio-economic drivers of gang recruitment and retention, and tackling drug trafficking and substance abuse.

“Although mitigation efforts exist, their impact is limited by resource constraints, weak collaboration between law enforcement and communities, and political interference,” the report concludes.