NCCK Warns Against Rising Political Violence, Hate Speech Ahead of 2027 Polls

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Delegates from National Council of Churches of Kenya member churches drawn from Nairobi, Kiambu, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties have raised alarm over what they described as the growing culture of political violence, hate speech and premature campaigns threatening Kenya’s democratic future.
The church leaders, meeting during a two-day regional conference at the YMCA Central Conference Hall in Nairobi under the theme “Strengthening Governance, Accountability, and Trust for Credible Elections,” said the country’s democratic ideals are increasingly being undermined by a transactional political culture that prioritizes elite interests over the welfare of ordinary citizens.
In a statement delivered by Nairobi Region Chairman Rev. Dr. Alphonse Kanga, the delegates condemned the rise of what they termed as “goonism” in Kenyan politics, accusing political leaders of exploiting unemployed youth to perpetrate violence and intimidate opponents.
“The NCCK expresses its profound indignation at the entrenchment of goonism as a normalized feature of Kenya’s political infrastructure. Our findings reveal a goon economy that functions as a tragic employment of last resort for desperate youth,” the statement read.
The council noted that with nearly 67 percent of young Kenyans lacking meaningful employment, many politicians are taking advantage of their desperation by paying them between KES 200 and KES 500 to disrupt meetings and engage in violence.
The church leaders described the practice as a grave violation of human dignity and warned that the continued weaponization of poverty risks deepening instability and eroding national cohesion.
They called on the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to deregister any political party found recruiting or financing organized youth groups for violent activities.
The delegates also challenged the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to prioritize investigations and prosecution of politicians accused of sponsoring violence in order to break what they termed as a cycle of impunity.
On hate speech and incitement, the NCCK urged institutions including the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, the Commission on Administrative Justice, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the DPP to take decisive action against politicians accused of spreading divisive rhetoric.
Quoting Proverbs 6:19, the church leaders said hate speech and incitement are morally wrong and dangerous to national unity.
“If you are too intimidated to do your work, then it is high time you resign and let someone else take the mandate,” the delegates stated.
The NCCK further accused politicians from both government and opposition sides of engaging in illegal early campaigns ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The council called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to enforce electoral laws and curb premature political campaigns.
“If you cannot control them when they campaign illegally, how can we trust you to stop them rigging elections in 2027 or even tomorrow during the by-elections?” the statement posed.
The church leaders urged Kenyans to reject violence, divisive politics and manipulation, while calling for accountability, justice and respect for human dignity as the country prepares for future elections.

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