Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has called on the government and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to take firm action against political goonism by prosecuting the politicians and financiers accused of sponsoring violent gangs.
Speaking ahead of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, Maanzo argued that lasting solutions to election-related violence will only be achieved by targeting those who fund and organize criminal groups rather than focusing solely on the perpetrators.
The senator urged investigative and prosecutorial agencies to charge individuals found financing political gangs with offences including murder, malicious damage to property, and causing bodily harm where evidence supports such charges.
Maanzo also called on the IEBC to work closely with security agencies to ensure the Ol Kalou by-election is conducted in a peaceful, free, and intimidation-free environment. He stressed that voters should be able to exercise their democratic rights without fear of violence or harassment.
Expressing concern over the rising cases of political thuggery, the senator warned that the practice has become increasingly normalized, with some politicians allegedly using organized gangs to intimidate opponents and influence electoral outcomes.
He urged the government to enforce the law impartially and hold all individuals responsible for sponsoring political violence accountable, saying decisive action would help safeguard the integrity of future elections.