Michael Ouma, a reformed goon, has revealed the skyrocketing level of hooliganism in Nairobi estates.
In his message, Ouma has painted a troubling picture of how hired muscle has become normalised in everyday community life.
Speaking to a local TV station on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, Ouma said the problem has deeply entrenched itself in areas such as Dandora, where even sacred gatherings are not spared.
“For any activity to take place here, including a church crusade, pastors must hire young men to offer security or else things will spiral out of control,” Ouma said.
Rising level of goonism
“I am the chairman residents’ association Embakasi North, I am a reformed goon but not a goon per se,” Ouma has said.
He clarified that his role was mainly coordination and mobilisation rather than direct involvement in violence.
“When we were doing campaigns, okay budgeting, we had money for security,” Ouma has revealed.
He said this, noting that security rarely involved police officers, but instead groups of young men strategically positioned around political figures.
“Security, in this case, isn’t about police; it is about assembling youths to cordon the mheshimiwa,” Ouma has said.
He added that anyone would require between 30 and 50 young men daily, each earning about Ksh1,000 plus meals.
According to him, this model has now split into churches and sports.
“In Dandora, if you have a crusade, you must hire goons to protectthe instruments,” Ouma added.
“It is just bad manners, and it goes back to institutionalism,” he has added, arguing that the root of the problem lies in weak systems and poor community sensitisation. We must make sure that we sensitise the people and do a lot of civic education,” Ouma has urged.
Machakos Deputy Governor comments on goons
His remarks have sparked wider debate, drawing reactions from leaders and analysts.
“Hooliganism will never end if leaders cannot be questioned and want to deal with their opponents in an unorthodox way,” Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi has warned, linking the trend to political intolerance.
Researcher Darius Okolla also weighed in. “Goon culture is not new in Kenyan politics; every decade has groups of young men ready for hire.”
Ouma’s candid exposure now forces the nation to confront a grim reality, where fear has become a silent planner of public events, even within the walls of worship, and where the path to reform lies in education, accountability and courage to break the cycle.
