NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 2 — Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has instructed security agencies in Nairobi to crackdown on garages involved in illegal gas and fuel refilling activities.
He was speaking when he visited the Mradi area in Embakasi East, the site of Thursday night’s gas explosion that claimed three lives and injured over 280 people.
The incident happened at 11:30 pm when one lorry loaded with gas cylinders exploded, igniting a huge ball of fire, the resulting shockwave felt miles away.
While urging security agencies to enhance their vigilance, Gachagua acknowledged that some garages were conducting illegal activities that endanger lives
“We will be asking our security committee here in Nairobi to frequently supervise these garages, where drivers of the vehicles pretend, they are coming for service but are looking to siphon fuel and gas from. That is unacceptable behavior,” he said.
Gachagua highlighted the complicity of government vehicles in the scheme, with drivers colluding with garage operators to illicitly extract fuel in exchange for monetary gain.
“We know for a fact that rogue drivers employed by the government conspire with garage owners in this illegal scheme.”
The Deputy President called on Kenyans to take responsibility and refrain from engaging in “shortcuts” in their daily activities, emphasizing the potential repercussions of such actions.
Addressing the incident, Gachagua said a government assessment of the damages was underway and pledged support for those affected, including business owners.
He also appealed to donors and Kenyans to support those impacted by the blast.
