Whistleblower Nelson Amenya Alleges Secret Plot to Use Violence in Kenya’s 2027 Elections

Nelson Amenya, the man who exposed Kenya’s controversial Adani airport deal, has made explosive new allegations about a secretive network planning to use ethnic violence and armed militias to manipulate the 2027 presidential election.

In a detailed social media exposé, Amenya claims that influential politicians close to President William Ruto are orchestrating a campaign to suppress certain ethnic communities, particularly targeting the Mt. Kenya region’s Kikuyu population and the Kamba community recently included in the GEMA cultural association.

The whistleblower alleges the scheme involves several high-profile figures, including presidential adviser Dr. David Kipkoech Muge, First Lady Rachel Ruto, and MPs William Kamket, Oscar Sudi, Musa Sirma, and Kimani Ichung’wa. According to Amenya, this group reports directly to President Ruto and has been actively working since June 2024 to manipulate voting patterns in key regions.

The most serious allegation involves the reported oath-taking of 50 Kalenjin warrior leaders on September 27, 2024.

Amenya claims participants were told the oath would bind them to defend the Kalenjin community against alleged aggression from the Kikuyu community.

He further alleges that when the plan was leaked, President Ruto ordered the decommissioning of hidden weapons caches, but the group quietly restocked and relocated the arms.

These allegations emerge against a backdrop of documented political violence in Kenya.

Recent months have seen organized gangs, backed by police, attacking peaceful protesters with whips and clubs.

On 25 June, organized criminals armed with whips and clubs, and backed by the police unleashed terror on a peaceful march commemorating the GenZ uprising against tax increases.

Police showcase guns recovered in an operation against bandits in the North Rift Valley region in May 2023 PHOTO INTERIOR MINISTRY

Kenya has a troubled history with election violence. Elections in Kenya are never just a matter of casting ballots.

Historically, they have been marred by ethno-political violence, exacerbated by vigilantes and militias deployed by politicians.

The country’s 2007-2008 post-election violence left over 1,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen recently issued a public statement about politicians buying weapons from across borders, which Amenya suggests indicates his allegations may have struck a nerve.

Meanwhile, inflammatory rhetoric from some politicians has escalated, with MPs like Kamket making threatening statements about extending Ruto’s term and attacking protesters.

Amenya gained international recognition for exposing the multi-billion dollar Adani airport deal, which President Ruto subsequently cancelled after the Indian conglomerate’s founder was indicted in the United States.

The JKIA-Adani deal whistleblower Nelson Amenya has been listed among the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2024.

However, his activism has come at a personal cost. Like many Kenyan whistleblowers under threat, he fled to France after exposing a $2 billion scandal. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders expresses deep concern over the case of Mr Nelson Amenya, a Kenyan whistleblower facing harassment and death threats.

While Amenya has previously demonstrated access to sensitive government documents through his Adani exposé, these new claims about militia recruitment and weapons caches remain unverified by independent sources.

The Kenyan government has not issued an official response to the specific allegations about ethnic militias and the 2027 election plot.

The allegations come as President William Ruto is embracing his political opponents to secure a second term in office in 2027, amid growing discontent with his government.

The serious nature of these claims, if substantiated, would represent a grave threat to Kenya’s democratic processes and inter-ethnic harmony.

Amenya’s warning is clear: “We must firmly reject any scheme by powerful individuals to incite inter-community conflict as a pathway to power.”

As Kenya approaches the 2027 election cycle, these allegations underscore the critical challenges facing the nation in maintaining peaceful, democratic transitions while protecting vulnerable communities from political manipulation.