Too little, too late? Kindiki finally speaks on fuel crisis

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki at Mwala constituency in Machakos County on May 20, 2026. [John Muia, Standard]

After a week-long national crisis occasioned by the sharp increase of fuel prices, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has finally emerged to address the matter, albeit too late.

 Many Kenyans expected the country’s second-in command to demonstrate leadership in addressing the citizens’ concerns of the heavy economic burden triggered by the high cost of fuel while President William Ruto was away, but that came rather too late with no practical relief at hand.

 Speaking in public about the fuel prices crisis for the first time, Prof Kindiki appeared to play catch-up with the verbal assurances issued by Cabinet Secretaries Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum) and his Interior counterpart, Kipchumba Murkomen.

 Addressing residents of Mwala during a site hand-over for the construction of Miseleni-Kwamwaura road in Machakos County where he was hosted by the local MP, Vincent Kawaya, Prof Kindiki made a passionate appeal to Kenyans to give the government a little more time to explore sustainable ways of bringing down the cost of fuel.

 “I want to assure you that the Kenya Government is doing everything possible to ensure prices of fuel are controlled amid the ongoing crisis so that citizens do not continue suffering. We are working hard. Already we have slashed Value Added Tax on fuel from 16 to 8 percent. The government has further injected sh 13 billion in subsidy without which the prices would have hit sh 300 per litre,” Prof Kindiki said.

 He went on, “We are trying to moderate and are still exploring other options that we can deploy to further control the prices. I request Kenyans to be patient and calm and those who wish to advise the government to do so in a peaceful manner without destruction and looting of property.”

 Kindiki decried the escalation of looting and arsons executed during the protests, terming it retrogressive. “Such criminal activities will not solve the fuel price hike.  The problem will only be solved by the calculated measures the government will take to confront the challenge in accordance with the law,” said Prof Kindiki.

 Kindiki advised those opposed to the government to pursue civil means of expressing themselves and shun incitement to violence. “If you do not like a certain leader, the solution is not to burn down somebody’s car. Wait until August next year and vote to remove such a person,” he said.

 He pointed out that much as it was important to ensure fuel was accessible to Kenyans, the government heavily relied on fuel taxes to finance development projects.

 “We also have a duty to run the country. The same citizens we are cushioning from high fuel prices are the same ones that need services to be offered. We must strike a balance between the need for us to manage the cost of living and the need to fund infrastructure and other economic enablers to develop our country,” Kindiki said.

 The DP urged Kenyans to ignore the empty rhetoric that the said the opposition had been riding on with the aim of fanning unjustified citizen hatred against President Ruto’s administration.

 Other politicians who accompanied the DO included MPs Caleb Mule (Machakos Town), Charles Nguna (Mwingi West) and Beth Syengo (Nominated Senator).