NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 26 – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the Government of using security agencies and regulatory authorities to harass and drive small-scale liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) traders out of business.
Gachagua claimed that hundreds of thousands of small-scale gas retailers had been subjected to arbitrary arrests, seizures of gas cylinders and what he described as systematic economic harassment.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader alleged that more than 200,000 gas cylinders had been seized from traders in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos counties between June and October last year.
He claimed the seizures were carried out by a clandestine police unit operating from Hurlingham, Nairobi, which he alleged was not gazetted.
Gachagua accused Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat and a private citizen, Clive Mutiso, of being behind the alleged operations, claiming the unit had conducted raids on LPG businesses using police officers and private vehicles.
He alleged that the seized cylinders were taken away without proper inventories being prepared, police occurrence book entries being made or affected traders being taken to court.
“Where are these 200,000 gas cylinders?” Mr Gachagua posed.
The former Deputy President said the alleged crackdown amounted to economic sabotage of small traders, arguing that the Government had abandoned the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda under which President William Ruto was elected in 2022.
He said millions of Kenyans depend on micro and small enterprises, including shops, kiosks and market stalls, for their livelihoods.
According to Gachagua, the LPG sector had become one of the latest areas in which small traders were facing pressure from powerful interests.
He also cited President Ruto’s 2023 pledge to lower the price of a six-kilogramme gas cylinder to between Sh300 and Sh500, saying the promise had not translated into the relief expected by consumers and traders.
Gachagua further accused the Government of interfering with the established regulatory framework governing the LPG business.
He cited a March 10, 2025, communication from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), which he said affirmed the regulator’s mandate to enforce rules in the sector.
The former Deputy President claimed, however, that another group had continued conducting enforcement operations against traders outside the framework.
He also referred to an operation in Western Kenya in which gas cylinders and vehicles were allegedly seized and taken to Kakamega Police Station.
Gachagua said the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently questioned the operation, citing an alleged failure to notify EPRA.
He quoted an ODPP communication dated December 18, 2025, as stating that the operation had been undertaken without notice to EPRA and was therefore improper under Section 11(e) of the Energy Act, 2019.
The former Deputy President said LPG traders had repeatedly petitioned President Ruto over the alleged harassment, including through letters dated August 21, 2025, and April 1, 2026.
He claimed the situation had worsened despite the appeals.
Gachagua demanded investigations into the alleged conduct of police officers and EPRA officials, as well as the return of the cylinders seized during the operations.
He also called for compensation for traders whose property had allegedly been confiscated.
The former Deputy President further alleged that some of the seized cylinders were being channelled to private LPG businesses associated with politicians and State officials.
He did not provide independent evidence in the statement to substantiate the allegations.
Gachagua also raised questions over proposed changes to the LPG cylinder tracking system, alleging that the Government intended to move the track-and-trace function from the regulator to the e-Citizen platform.
He claimed the proposed system would involve the onboarding of De La Rue, although he did not provide evidence to support his assertions about ownership or the alleged procurement arrangement.
The DCP leader went further to allege that President Ruto had commercial interests in the LPG sector, naming Surge Energy and Taifa Gas among companies he claimed were linked to the President.
The allegations could not be independently verified from the statement.
Gachagua argued that the developments pointed to an attempt to consolidate the LPG market and squeeze out small-scale traders.
He called on the Government to stop what he described as the persecution of LPG retailers and allow them to operate under clear and uniformly enforced regulations.
“Mr William Ruto, please leave small-scale traders alone; you have taken too much. And again, we kindly ask you, how much is enough, sir?” Gachagua said.
