NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has alleged that thousands of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders seized from small-scale traders during government enforcement operations were later diverted to private businesses and distributed to residents during the Ol Kalou by-election.
Gachagua made the allegations during a press briefing at his Karen residence on Wednesday, where he called for investigations into what he described as an abuse of regulatory and police powers in the LPG sector.
He claimed that more than 200,000 gas cylinders were seized from small-scale LPG traders in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos between June and October 2025.
The former Deputy President alleged that the seizures were carried out by a police team led by Robert Linyiru Gituma, whom he identified as an Officer Commanding Station (OCS), alongside 25 other officers.
Gachagua further alleged that the operation was conducted under the supervision of Clive Mutiso and received support from Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.
He claimed the cylinders were transported using private vehicles and lorries, alleging that inventories were not prepared and that the seizures were not properly recorded in police Occurrence Books.
The allegations have not been independently established, and the individuals named by Gachagua had not, by the time of publication, publicly responded to the claims.
Gachagua links cylinders to Ol Kalou by-election
Gachagua’s most serious allegation was that some of the cylinders seized from small-scale traders were subsequently channelled to private LPG businesses allegedly linked to politicians and state officials.
He claimed that one such business was based in Kitengela and alleged that cylinders from the seized stock were later seen during the Ol Kalou by-election.
“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,” Gachagua said.
The claim, if substantiated, would raise questions about the handling of property seized during regulatory enforcement operations and whether goods taken from traders were subsequently diverted for commercial or political purposes.
Gachagua did not publicly provide details of the evidence he said supported the allegation.
Calls for arrests and compensation
The former Deputy President demanded the return of what he said were more than 200,000 seized cylinders and compensation for traders who lost their businesses during the enforcement operations.
He accused government agencies of using regulatory enforcement to frustrate small-scale LPG dealers and called for strict adherence to the legal framework governing the sector.
Gachagua also called for the arrest and prosecution of officials he accused of abusing their positions.
He specifically named Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director-General Joseph Oketch and Deputy Director for Surveillance and Enforcement Maj. (Rtd.) Augustine Ouma.
Gachagua accused Ouma of allegedly providing intelligence and identifying locations of licensed small-scale LPG traders targeted during the operations.
He described the officials as compromised and demanded that they face legal action over the allegations.
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He also called for action against Mutiso, the OCS and the 25 officers he accused of participating in the seizures.
Gachagua further demanded the closure of what he described as a “black site” in Hurlingham, alleging that it was connected to the operations.
Questions over LPG enforcement
The allegations come amid continuing scrutiny of enforcement within Kenya’s LPG industry, where regulators have sought to strengthen compliance with licensing, safety and consumer-protection requirements.
For small-scale traders, however, enforcement operations can have significant economic consequences because the cylinders constitute their principal business assets.
Gachagua argued that regulatory enforcement should not be used to eliminate small traders from the market or favour larger or politically connected businesses.
He called for an investigation into the alleged seizure, storage and subsequent distribution of the cylinders to establish where the equipment went and whether proper procedures were followed.
The former Deputy President’s claims had not been independently verified by the time of publication.
