At 65, Audi Ogada carries a quiet unease that refuses to loosen its grip. It is not the burden of age that weighs upon him, but the unsettling rise of politically mobilised goons sweeping across the country.

In the political goons, Mr Ogada sees a reflection of his younger self as a restless youth. However, where his generation was driven by conviction, he believes today’s recruits are shaped, manipulated and ultimately discarded by politicians who thrive on chaos.

Now a human rights defender and Chairman of the Kisumu City Residents Association, Mr Ogada once stood at the very heart of that world as he was the face of the dreaded Baghdad Boys, a group which moved in spaces where politics and violence often blurred into one.

Having witnessed both eras, first as a young man entangled in political struggle during the fight for multiparty democracy, and now as an advocate for human rights, Mr Ogada speaks with the weight of lived experience.

In a recent interview with the Daily Nation, he drew a stark contrast between the youth of his time and those of today, describing the difference as “like day and night”.

Decades ago, in the turbulent 1980s and 1990s, he stood on the frontlines of Kenya’s push for multiparty democracy. Like many of his peers, he was swept into the orbit of political resistance joining opposition youth wings that braved repression in pursuit of change. According to him it was an era defined by ideology; raw, dangerous and often unforgiving.

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As the face of the feared Baghdad Boys, he operated in a world where the stakes were high and the consequences immediate. Yet, in his recollection, there was a sense of purpose - a belief, however contested, that they were part of something greater than themselves.

“During our time, we were not supporting individual politicians. We were driven by the ideology of a movement like the opposition. We were affiliated with pressure groups, unlike today when the youth are hero-worshipping individuals,” he said.

Today, he stands on the other side of history watching a new generation walk a path that feels hauntingly familiar but fundamentally altered.

He recalls how, in the 1990s, he and his counterparts ventured into perilous regions to ensure the safety of their leaders, driven by a desire to protect and to challenge a regime they viewed as hostile and dictatorial.

At around age 29, he witnessed the moment when the first Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was placed under house arrest during a time of intense opposition crackdowns. Then an employee of the Kisumu Municipal Council, Mr Ogada went on to form the Baghdad group - an outfit that would become both feared and influential in Kisumu.

Its members included Patrick Lumumba ‘Fujo’ Owade, George Oyola, Nyambuk Orimba, Ocholla Dengu, Ojiem Muga, and Gwada Ogot. Elsewhere, similar formations emerged, including Operation Moi Out (OMO) in Nairobi and the 82 Air Force group.

The struggle later shifted inward, as battles for democracy extended into party politics, particularly within Ford Kenya, when former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Siaya Governor James Orengo clashed over the party’s leadership.

Mr Ogada recalls the heavy toll of those years. Many were detained because of their proximity to political leaders; others paid the ultimate price. He cites Obong’o Obong’o as one among those who lost their lives in the struggle.

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Where his generation saw sacrifice, he now sees transaction and where there was loyalty to a cause, he perceives allegiance for sale.

“The young men flooding political rallies and street confrontations today are not bound by ideology, but by opportunity - drawn in by quick money, easily swayed, and just as easily discarded,” he said.

It is this shift that troubles him most. To Mr Ogada, the danger lies not only in the violence itself but in the absence of purpose and the erosion of principle.

Kisumu City Residents Voice Chairman Audi Ogada addressing the press at Kisumu County Boda Boda Association offices in Kisumu on February 25, 2026, following the death of their Head of Security George Olwanda.

Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation

He points to the proliferation of youth groups such as Mbogi, Chude Chude, Katalang among others as evidence of this drift. Their loyalties, he says, are fleeting, today aligned with one leader, tomorrow mobilised for another.

In that vacuum, he fears, young people are reduced to expendable tools, their futures bartered for fleeting rewards in a political game that offers no enduring stake.

“Ours was purely to help leaders champion change, and during that period we were never paid a dime. Unlike today, where some will even kill for Sh1,000 or Sh2,000, we were ready to die for what we believed was a just cause. Now, it is about who pays more. There is no loyalty, no deeper understanding, only survival,” he said.

Unlike many of today’s unemployed youth, he notes, most of his peers were employed within municipal councils. Unfortunately, his own closeness to Jaramogi and active role in political rallies ultimately cost him his job at the Kisumu Municipal Council.

He observes that today’s youth operate under vastly different pressures. With unemployment surging, many are driven by desperation, willing to take on any task for survival.

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“There are many instances where they are used to settle property rows, evict people and accompany auctioneers in their duties,” he said.

He added that some are even hired to disrupt controversial weddings, while others are reportedly enlisted to assist police in enforcement operations.

Mr Otieno Ogawo, a former comrade in the struggle, echoes these concerns. As the country grapples with a resurgence of politically driven unrest, his voice carries both warning and reflection, perhaps a reminder that when history repeats itself without meaning, the consequences can be even more devastating.

He believes drug abuse plays a significant role in the behaviour of today’s youth.

“All of us wanted to be part of history, so we sacrificed our resources and even our jobs to support the cause. We were focused and principled, and we never took the drugs many engage in today. To me, that is what drives some of the extreme actions witnessed recently in Kisumu,” said Mr Ogawo.

The members of the Baghdad group, led by Mr Ogada, have since reformed, channelling their experiences into peace-building initiatives. Many are now involved in associations such as Baghdad for Peace, which advocates non-violent approaches to conflict resolution. Others have transitioned into public service, including Mr Owade, who serves as a Member of the County Assembly for South East Nyakach.

From the embers of a turbulent past, Mr Ogada now watches with concern, and a measure of hope, that the lessons of history, hard-won and dearly paid for, may yet guide a generation teetering between purpose and peril.

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roudia@ke.nationmedia.com