Kisii is entering the 2027 election season under a cloud of political tension, with succession battles, youth mobilisation and allegations of organised violence threatening to overshadow the region’s traditionally vibrant political contests.
What was once largely a battle of speeches, rallies and political persuasion is increasingly being accompanied by allegations of intimidation, threats and physical attacks, raising fears that competition for political power could degenerate into violence.
The warning signs have emerged in a series of incidents across Kisii, including the June assault on Ichuni Ward MCA Wycliffe Siocha in Kisii town.
More recently, violence disrupted the Linda Mwananchi political rally in Keumbu, Nyaribari Chache, where one person providing security services was killed.
In Bomachoge Chache, another person was reportedly killed during a political function.
There was also a deadly confrontation involving suspected goons during the visit to Kisii of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i with members of the United Opposition. Several people were reportedly attacked, with about four suspected goons killed.
The incidents have intensified scrutiny of the methods being employed by rival political camps as they position themselves for the 2027 elections.
Siocha attack raises political questions
Police investigating the assault on Mr Siocha said preliminary inquiries were examining whether the attack was politically motivated.
There had been no arrests or arraignments in connection with the incident at the time of reporting.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i condemned the violence, warning that intimidation and lawlessness had no place in a democratic society.
“Violence, intimidation, and lawlessness have no place in our democracy,” Matiang’i said, calling for those responsible to be identified and prosecuted.
While addressing journalists in Nairobi on Monday, Matiang’i went further, alleging that a funded militia was being trained to target political opponents in Kisii and other parts of the country.
He questioned whether security agencies were doing enough to contain what he described as an emerging threat.
The claims are serious but remain allegations and have not been independently established.
Former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, who is seeking the Kisii governorship, visited Siocha in hospital and linked the attack to the MCA’s perceived political association with Matiang’i.
Machogu alleged that Siocha had been threatened and hunted by suspected goons, describing the assault as politically motivated.
The claims remain subject to investigation and have not been proved in court.
The Green Army controversy
The political spotlight has also fallen on the so-called “Green Army”, a youth group whose activities have repeatedly attracted accusations from Governor Simba Arati’s opponents.
Arati has denied using goons and has publicly condemned the deployment of youths to cause violence.
His administration has also ordered members of the group off the streets at night amid concerns over muggings and robberies.
The controversy took another turn after a member of the group was seriously injured during a confrontation at a market in the Nubia area about two weeks ago, reportedly sustaining severe injuries to his fingers.
The competing accounts surrounding the group have become part of a wider political narrative in which rival camps accuse each other of mobilising youths for political purposes.
A succession battle taking shape
Beneath the allegations of violence lies an increasingly intense struggle for political influence in Kisii.
Governor Arati is seeking to consolidate his regional influence ahead of 2027, while rival political camps are building alliances and networks to challenge his dominance.
Matiang’i’s national political ambitions and Machogu’s gubernatorial bid have added new dimensions to the contest.
The emerging political realignment has created competing centres of power, with politicians positioning themselves for a battle that extends beyond the governor’s seat.
The tensions boiled over in June when supporters associated with Arati and Bomachoge Borabu MP Obadiah Barongo clashed during a funeral, leaving at least 10 people injured.
Both sides blamed the other for the violence.
The disruption of the Linda Mwananchi rally in Kisii, coupled with reports of attacks on a convoy travelling towards Keroka, has further heightened concerns that political violence could become a recurring feature of the 2027 campaign.
Fear on the streets
For ordinary residents, however, the political contest is becoming less about who wins power and more about whether they can go about their daily lives without being caught in fights between political camps.
Mary Gichana, a trader in Kisii town, said residents were tired of being dragged into conflicts between politicians.
“We want leaders who can compete through ideas. We don’t want young people being paid to fight other young people because of politicians,” she said.
Masimba MCA Bouse Mairura said ordinary citizens were often the biggest victims of political violence.
“When politicians fight, they have security and can leave town. It is the ordinary person who remains behind to count the losses,” he said.
For boda boda rider John Kerage, political violence threatens livelihoods.
“Some of us depend on daily income. When there is fighting, people stop travelling, markets become empty and we go home without money,” he said.
Small-business owner Nyakerario Tumbo said politicians should remember Kisii’s history and avoid dragging residents into violence.
“We don’t want Kisii to become known for goons. We want roads, jobs, water and businesses. Let politicians campaign peacefully and leave us to make our choices,” she said.
A warning beyond 2027
For Matiang’i, the developments in Kisii point to a broader national danger.
He has warned that organised youth groups and political violence could threaten Kenya’s stability as politicians mobilise for the next election.
Political analyst Eric Onsongo said the alleged use of goons in political activities posed a serious threat to democracy, social order and press freedom.
He warned that groups allegedly mobilised to intimidate opponents, disrupt political meetings or silence dissent could gradually normalise violence and weaken democratic institutions.
Journalists, he noted, were particularly vulnerable because they often operate on the front lines while covering political rallies, demonstrations and clashes between rival groups.
“Unless this culture of using goons is tamed early, it portends great danger not only for democracy but also for society and journalists who trade news,” Onsongo said.
He urged security agencies to investigate allegations of political violence impartially and prosecute anyone found culpable, regardless of political affiliation.
Political violence, he cautioned, should never be allowed to become a normal feature of electioneering.
If left unchecked, it could discourage citizens from attending public meetings, expressing divergent opinions and holding leaders accountable.
Battle of ideas or muscle?
Kisii’s political history has demonstrated that power can change hands through the ballot.
But the growing allegations of organised youth mobilisation, intimidation and political violence are raising a more fundamental question: can the region’s next political transition be fought through ideas rather than muscle?
The stakes are high.
The 2027 succession battle is likely to reshape political alliances across Kisii and beyond. But if rival camps turn increasingly to youths, street mobilisation and intimidation, the consequences could extend well beyond individual political careers.
For residents already worried about their businesses, livelihoods and security, the message is increasingly clear.
They want political competition—but not political war.
Kisii’s next battle for power must be decided at the ballot box, not on the streets.
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