Gachagua raises alarm over alleged harassment of small-scale gas traders

Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has raised concerns over what he described as the targeted harassment, arbitrary arrests and seizure of property belonging to small-scale liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) traders.

Gachagua made the allegations in a statement issued before leaving Kenya for an eight-week engagement in the United States.

He accused the government of subjecting small-scale traders to what he termed economic sabotage, harassment and extortion, arguing that the situation was contrary to the administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

“Today, I want to speak for millions of small-scale traders in the gas industry who have for the last few weeks reached out to me after months of oppression and an extortion cartel,” Gachagua said.

He claimed that Kenya has between four million and five million micro and small retail enterprises, including dukas, kiosks and market stalls, which play a major role in supplying households with essential goods.

Gachagua said the small-scale gas sector had in recent years faced increasing pressure from enforcement agencies.

Gachagua Questions Gas Cylinder Seizures

Gachagua cited President William Ruto’s 2023 promise on the price of cooking gas, saying the administration had initially pledged to make LPG more affordable to ordinary Kenyans.

He alleged that instead of supporting small-scale traders, the government had subjected them to what he called systematic harassment and seizure of their businesses and equipment.

According to Gachagua, a police unit was established in June 2025 and stationed in Hurlingham, Nairobi, which he claimed was not a gazetted police station.

He alleged that the unit had been involved in operations targeting LPG retailers in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos.

Gachagua further claimed that more than 200,000 gas cylinders were seized between June and October 2025 during the operations.

“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,” he alleged.

He questioned the whereabouts of the cylinders and called for an investigation into the seizures.

Gachagua Accuses Police and Energy Officials

The former Deputy President also made allegations against senior police and energy sector officials, claiming that some officers were involved in the enforcement operations.

He specifically mentioned Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat and several other officials.

Gachagua further alleged that the operations extended to the North Rift, Nyanza and Western regions, where he claimed gas cylinders and vehicles belonging to traders were seized and taken to Kakamega Police Station.

He cited a December 2025 letter from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which he said found that an operation had been conducted without notice to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).

Gachagua said legitimate LPG traders were not opposed to regulation but were concerned about what he described as arbitrary enforcement.

“No LPG trader is against any regulations and laws; the question is harassment, arbitrary arrests, illegal seizure of gas cylinders and extortion,” he said.

Gachagua claimed that more than 500,000 small-scale LPG retailers had raised their concerns directly with President Ruto.

He said the traders wrote to the President on August 21, 2025, and again on April 1, 2026, seeking government intervention.

“After these letters, the harassment has more than doubled; hitherto, the pain is more,” Gachagua alleged.

He called for the immediate return of seized gas cylinders and compensation for traders who had allegedly suffered losses.

Gachagua also demanded investigations into officials he accused of abusing their offices and interfering with the regulatory framework governing the LPG sector.

The DCP leader further alleged that some of the seized gas cylinders were being channelled to private LPG businesses linked to politicians and state actors.

He did not provide evidence in his statement to substantiate the allegations.

Gachagua also alleged that President Ruto has commercial interests in Kenya’s LPG industry, naming Surge Energy Limited and Taifa Gas.

He further claimed that plans were underway to transfer the LPG track-and-trace function from the regulator to the eCitizen platform and alleged that a contract involving De La Rue was being pursued.

The claims were presented by Gachagua as part of a broader effort to restructure the LPG market.

Gachagua called for an immediate end to what he described as the mistreatment and physical assault of small-scale gas traders.

He demanded investigations into the alleged police operations and called for the closure of the facility in Hurlingham that he referred to as a “black site.”

He also called for the return of the more than 200,000 gas cylinders he alleged had been seized and compensation for affected traders.

Gachagua further demanded investigations into officials he named in his statement and called for strict adherence to the legal and regulatory framework governing the LPG industry.

“William Ruto, please leave small-scale traders alone; you have taken too much. And again, we kindly ask you, how much is enough, sir?” he said.