Gachagua alleges seized gas cylinders were distributed during Ol Kalou by-election
However, by the time of going to the press, despite the damning claims citing multiple government officials and serving officers, the office of the Government Spokesman headed by Charles Owino had not issued any rejoinder to the claims.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has alleged that more than 200,000 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders seized from small-scale traders during government-led raids were later channelled to private businesses and some distributed to residents during the Ol Kalou by-election.
Gachagua made the claims today, Wednesday, August 26, 2026 during a press briefing at his Karen residence, where he accused the government of conducting what he described as a state-sanctioned crackdown against small-scale LPG traders.
He alleged that the seizures were carried out between June and October 2025 in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos counties by a clandestine police unit operating outside established enforcement procedures.
“Over the last two years, small-scale gas dealers have been put under a ruthless state-sanctioned seizure, systematic harassment and a total subversion of the regulatory frameworks under guidelines for the retail of liquefied petroleum gas in cylinders,” Gachagua said.
However, by the time of going to the press, despite the damning claims citing multiple government officials and serving officers, the office of the Government Spokesman headed by Charles Owino had not issued any rejoinder to the claims and efforts to reach his office for comemnts proved futile.
According to the former Deputy President, the alleged police unit was established in June 2025 and based at a facility in Hurlingham, Nairobi, which he claimed was formerly the Heart Centre.
He alleged that the facility was not gazetted but operated with an armory, a clandestine budget and a multi-rank police command. He identified Robert Linyiru Gituma as the alleged Officer Commanding Station (OCS), supported by an OCPD, SSP, Deputy OCS, OC Crime and 25 other officers.
Gachagua claimed the unit operated under the supervision of private citizen Clive Mutiso and received support from Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.
He alleged that the team used private vehicles and lorries to raid small-scale LPG retailers and seize their cylinders.
“Between June and October 2025, this vigilante group operating with impunity raided Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos small-scale gas retailers; using private vehicles and lorries, they took away with them over 200,000 gas cylinders; no single inventory was done, no O.B. was recorded and nobody was taken to court,” he said.
Gachagua further alleged that the operation was subsequently extended to the North Rift, Nyanza and Western regions, where cylinders and vehicles were allegedly seized and taken to Kakamega Police Station.
“When Mr. Eliud Lagat deployed this team to North Rift, Nyanza and Western Regions, they forcefully took away gas cylinders and vehicles and put them at the Kakamega police station,” he claimed.
He said LPG traders were not opposed to regulation but objected to what he termed arbitrary arrests, illegal seizures and extortion.
“It must be clearly noted that NO LPG trader is against any regulations and laws; the question is harassment, arbitrary arrests, illegal seizure of gas cylinders and extortion by the DIG Lagat-led militia,” Gachagua said.
The former Deputy President also accused officials within the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) of being involved in the alleged crackdown.
He named EPRA Director General Joseph Oketch and Deputy Director for Surveillance and Enforcement Maj. (Rtd.) Augustine Ouma, whom he accused of sharing intelligence and identifying points of sale operated by licensed small-scale traders.
Gachagua called for Ouma and Oketch to be arrested and prosecuted over alleged abuse of office, describing them as compromised. He also demanded legal action against Mutiso, Gituma and the other officers he accused of participating in the alleged operations.
He further called for the closure of what he described as a “black site” at Hurlingham and demanded investigations into the alleged enforcement operation.
Gachagua claimed that some of the seized cylinders were subsequently diverted to private and emerging LPG enterprises allegedly owned by politicians and state actors.
“We have evidence that the seized gas cylinders are funnelled to private and upcoming LPG enterprises owned by politicians and other state actors; one of these firms is in Kitengela and Kenyans saw these gas cylinders during the Ol Kalou by-elections,” he said.
He suggested that cylinders distributed to residents during the by-election may have been part of the stock seized from traders.
Gachagua demanded the return of the more than 200,000 cylinders he claims were seized and compensation for affected traders, while calling for enforcement agencies to strictly follow the legal and regulatory framework governing the LPG sector.
His allegations came a day after DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala claimed there was a plan to replace Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja with Lagat ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking in Kamukunji on Tuesday, Malala accused Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo of allegedly orchestrating a plan to provoke public protests and create grounds for Kanja’s removal.
“Kanja, Murkomen and PS Omollo are using goons so that Kenyans can start protesting and calling for your resignation. They will then claim that it is the people who demanded your removal from office,” Malala alleged.
He claimed the alleged plan was aimed at ensuring Lagat was in charge of law enforcement by the time Kenya holds the 2027 elections.
“We want to tell you, Murkomen, even if Kanja goes home, we will not go to an election with the President, CS and IG from the same community,” Malala said.
