Nairobi-based political and social commentator
The police initially said they were waiting for a complaint to begin investigations into acts of terrorism during the Ol Kalou by-election. The minister of security said they were investigating the incident. Later, he claimed that police were hesitant to act against goon terror in the country because they did not have public support. He went on to lament that the ‘goons’ arrested during youth protests in 2024 and 2025 were released by the courts. On his part, President Ruto said the nation had reached a consensus on curbing goon terror, and would now act against the menace. He asked rhetorically, or will people say these are our children?
Let’s deconstruct these statements and then reconstruct their meaning.
In 2024 and ‘25, police massacred tens of youths protesting bad governance and opulence. The only weapons the youths carried were Kenyan flags and mobile phones. The police did not wait for a complaint to brutally crackdown on the protesting youth. The gunmen in Ol Kalou terrorised the populace in broad day light, and in full view of the public and numerous uniformed police officers. Yet the government needed a complaint in order to act. Is it conceivable that gunmen with automatic rifles could terrorise residents of a small town in, say, the United Kingdom, while police wait for someone to complain?
According to a Nation Media expose of the Ol Kalou terror, police were even reluctant to take cartridges left behind by the gunmen. Even after the expose revealed the owners of the vehicles used by the terror gang, and the identities of some of the gunmen, no arrests were made. Members of the public said they saw cars used by the gunmen parked outside offices of senior county officials. The reason why police would not act on the terror gang had nothing to do with absence of a complaint.
The security minister claims that police lack public support to act against goon terror. Did the police wait for public support to massacre youths in 2024 and ’25? Did they have public support to deploy snipers on rooftops to blow out the brains of protesters?
The president says there is now consensus to move against goon terror. Yet the regime did not wait for consensus before ordering the deadly crackdown on peaceful youth protests. What consensus did Ruto have on his order to shoot demonstrators in the legs? Why does Mr Ruto lump together unarmed protests and goon terror?
In George Orwell’s1984, falsifying or obfuscating reality are central organising principles of the Oceania state. Big Brother and the Party believe that if people accept a lie, then the lie becomes history and the truth. So they proclaim, “War is peace, freedom is slavery…” Likewise, we are being told peaceful protesters are goons. We are misled that police need consensus and public support to move against violent goons. Is the lie becoming a central organising principle of this regime?
