A string of terror attacks in Kenya in the late 2000s necessitated robust counter terrorism responses by the Government. The Washington-led countering violent extremism strategy in 2011 came as a salvage tool for countering violent extremism programmes in Kenya and beyond. In September 2016, the government of Kenya launched the National Strategy for Countering Violent Extremism in line with the call promoted by international development partners and INGOs for softer preventative approaches. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in Kenya 2015–2021, the article examines the evolving top-down, international and national framings of the term ‘violent extremism’ and its mitigation within prevention and countering violent extremism (PCVE) programming. The article sheds light on the evolving threat of violent extremism (VE) and looks at contributions broader VE definitions can include, notably violent and hateful extremism addressing hatred and hate speech, toxic identity politics, misogyny, stigmatisation and marginalisation in PCVE initiatives.