Kenyan President, William Ruto, has issued a fresh warning to violent groups ahead of the country’s 2027 general election, saying some of those who participated in the 2024 Gen Z protests have now “graduated from protesters to goons.”

Ruto, speaking in Busia on Sunday, said his government would no longer tolerate violence and assured Kenyans that the next general election would be conducted peacefully, despite growing concerns over attacks by armed gangs at political events.

According to Kenyan news platform, Citizen Digital, the President linked recent cases of political violence to the 2024 youth-led demonstrations, saying the Government’s initial leniency had allowed criminal elements to emerge.

“Irrespective of who we are, our persuasion, our political leaning, whatever it’s that we believe in, we must have a peaceful nation. I want to assure you as the people of Kenya that we will have peaceful elections next year,” Ruto said.

Ruto Says Protesters Have ‘Graduated to Goons’

He called on politicians and citizens to make peace a priority, stressing that elections are periodic democratic exercises and should never be used as an excuse for violence, destruction or intimidation.

Reflecting on the 2024 demonstrations, Ruto said the Government had initially been lenient towards protesters because they were regarded as Kenyan youths.

“We were lenient with those who were demonstrating, causing chaos, looting and burning property because we said they are our children. But we’ve seen how damaging that is. They have now graduated from protesters to goons. We have vowed to deal with all goons,” he said.

The President maintained that his administration would work to preserve peace and stability across Kenya while ensuring that politicians from all sides are able to campaign without intimidation or disruption by violent groups.

Political Violence and Ol Kalou By-Election

His comments came amid heightened political tensions, particularly after the recent Ol Kalou by-election, where armed gangs were reportedly accused of terrorising residents and disrupting the electoral process.

The violence has led to allegations from Government critics that state authorities were responsible for deploying gangs at political events. Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, however, rejected the claims and instead accused opposition leader, Rigathi Gachagua, of sponsoring the goons.

Murkomen has also vowed that the Government would take action against those responsible for political violence as Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election.

The latest political tensions come two years after youth-led protests against the Finance Bill erupted across Kenya.

On June 25, 2024, the demonstrations escalated into nationwide unrest, with protesters entering the Parliament grounds.

Rights groups and official tallies reported deaths and disappearances during the violence that followed, while some families continue to seek answers two years later.

The Human Rights Watch World Report 2026 said 26 people linked to the 2024 anti-finance bill protests and 15 people linked to demonstrations in 2025 remained missing.

Human Rights Watch also accused Kenyan security services of abducting, torturing and killing citizens believed to have been leaders of anti-government protests.

For more on Kenya elections, see Citizen Digital.