Goons, gangs: What Homa Bay violence signalled about Kenya’s 2027 elections
Political violence in Homa Bay, Kenya, has raised concerns regarding the stability of the upcoming 2027 elections. The incident involves accusations of incitement against Governor Gladys Wanga and the rise of the Linda Mwananchi movement.
Why it matters
The violence highlights deep-seated political tensions and the potential for instability in Kenya's democratic process as new movements challenge established party structures.
Homa Bay County, located in western Kenya, emerged from the country’s 2022 elections as a democratic outlier. It produced the only female county governor in the region, and women won 40 per cent of the parliamentary seats in the devolved unit.
The county’s 45-year-old governor, Gladys Wanga, is one of Kenya’s rising political stars. She is the chairwoman of the country’s largest opposition party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and is often mentioned in the media as a potential running mate for President William Ruto in the 2027 elections.
However, Homa Bay has also gained notoriety for political violence, following clashes in the county’s largest town of the same name last Sunday that left two people dead, including a police officer, and 46 injured, as well as causing property damage.
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