Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has accused political actors of hijacking protests over rising fuel prices, saying criminal gangs were mobilized to spread violence, loot property, and intimidate government supporters.
In a strongly worded statement issued after nationwide demonstrations on Monday, Murkomen said the government respected the constitutional right to protest but condemned what he described as organized lawlessness that disrupted transport and businesses across the country.
He addressed the press at his office in Nairobi.
He linked the unrest to the global fuel crisis triggered by the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Murkomen said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had sharply increased shipping and insurance costs, leading to higher fuel prices locally.
“Looting, violence, blocking roads, and vandalizing public and private property can in no way bring down the prices,” Murkomen said.
The CS said the National Treasury and the Ministries of Energy and Transport were already engaging stakeholders in the transport sector to find ways of cushioning Kenyans against the fuel price increases.
Murkomen, however, claimed that “rogue politicians” had infiltrated the protests and were sponsoring criminal activities targeting government projects and leaders allied to the Kenya Kwanza administration.
He cited the looting of Khetia supermarkets allegedly linked to a pro-government MP, the burning of a UDA office in Wote, Makueni County, and the torching of two trucks at the Rironi-Mau Summit road project as evidence of what he termed a coordinated campaign to spread fear.
The Interior CS also referenced the death of gospel musician Rachel Wandeto, who succumbed to injuries after an attack in Nairobi, alleging that inflammatory political rhetoric was fueling intolerance and violence.
“We are witnessing a clear scheme where a section of the political class is making incendiary statements to fan intolerance and ethnic bigotry,” he said.
Murkomen warned that organizers of the demonstrations and those behind the violence would face the full force of the law. He added that the unrest killed four people and injured more than 30 others.
“It is quite unfortunate that there are politicians in this country who measure the success of opposition to the government by the number of innocent lives lost,” he said.
He further warned that leaders who profile Kenyans based on political affiliation would bear personal responsibility for any loss of life and destruction of property.
The CS assured the public that security agencies would restore order, clear blocked roads, and guarantee the safety of travelers and businesses.
Featured image: CS Murkomen on X
