The Truth Behind Nairobi's Hired Gangs | The Index Podcast

Описание: Organized criminal gangs were deployed by politicians to counter peaceful protests in Nairobi in June, triggering worries of violence in Kenya ahead of the 2027 general elections.

On June 25, gangs unleashed terror on people, who took to the streets in a peaceful march to commemorate the lives of 60 people who were killed one year earlier, in a historic Gen Z uprising against punitive taxes. Just a week earlier, on June 18, gangs had also violently confronted protesters demanding justice for Alfred Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher and political blogger who died in police custody. While mainstream media calls them "hired goons", evidence shows these were organised gangs, funded and protected by powerful politicians to silence dissent.

We speak to Ken Opala, who went out and talked to police, gang members, and security officials about what happened - and who was really behind it.

Learn more about criminality in Kenya: ocindex.net

00:00 Criminal gangs deployed on a peaceful protest in Nairobi
00:55 William Kassait Kamket
01:50 Mafia-style groups and state-embedded actors are a problem in Kenya
02:21 Ken Opala spoke to gang members and the police
02:35 How common is it for gangs to work for politicians in Kenya?
03:15 Why are the gangs often referred to as "hired goons" by the media?
04:12 How and why do gangs get involved in politics?
06:58 The cost of living and unemployment in Kenya
08:04 What's happened since post-election violence in 2007?
11:07 What could happen at the 2027 election?
13:55 Are policy-makers and the international community working to stop organized crime affecting politics in Kenya?