Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has accused opposition leaders of exploiting the rising cost of fuel to incite Kenyans against the government.
The DP warned that violent protests and economic sabotage would not solve the country’s fuel and transport crisis.
Speaking during a consultative forum with grassroots leaders in Tharaka Constituency, Tharaka Nithi County, the Deputy President defended the government’s handling of the fuel crisis, insisting that the sharp rise in pump prices was a global problem driven by instability in the Middle East and not a deliberate move by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Ni uchochezi kwa mtu yeyote kuambia Wakenya ati serikali ndiyo imeongeza bei ya mafuta,” Kindiki said, terming claims that the government was solely responsible for the high fuel prices as misleading and dangerous.
The Deputy President said Kenya had managed to gradually lower fuel prices from a high of Sh218 per litre in 2022 to about Sh171 before renewed conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States disrupted global oil supply chains.
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“We had lowered the cost of fuel from 218 shillings per litre to 171 shillings per litre before the war situation erupted in Iran,” he said.
Kindiki explained that the conflict had increased shipping costs, insurance premiums and fuel importation expenses after key maritime routes became insecure, forcing oil tankers to take longer routes.
“I want to challenge the critics of this government to look Kenyans in the eye and show us which country has not had fuel prices increasing. This is a global challenge. It is not a Kenyan issue. We must all be truthful,” he said.
The remarks come amid mounting public anger over soaring fuel prices that have triggered transport disruptions, demonstrations and protests in several towns across the country.
The increase in fuel prices has pushed up the cost of transport, food and basic commodities, piling more pressure on households already struggling with the high cost of living.
Kindiki, however, defended the government’s interventions, saying the administration had already sacrificed billions of shillings to cushion consumers from the global fuel shock.
“If the government had not made the interventions, the price of fuel per litre would have shot to between 300 and 400 shillings,” he said.
He noted that the government reduced Value Added Tax on petroleum products from 16 percent to 8 percent and injected more than Sh12 billion into the fuel stabilisation programme in April and May alone.
“We are doing everything possible to cushion Kenyans from the effects of high fuel costs and will continue to do more,” he added.
The Deputy President also revealed that President William Ruto had convened meetings involving the ministries of Energy, Treasury, Transport and Interior alongside industry stakeholders and matatu operators to explore additional interventions.
At the same time, Kindiki condemned violent demonstrations witnessed in parts of the country, saying criminal elements had infiltrated protests to loot businesses, burn vehicles and block roads.
“It is unpatriotic for anyone, in pursuit of political capital, to incite Kenyans to engage in acts of economic sabotage in the guise of pushing for lower fuel prices,” he said.
This comes as four people are reported dead, 30 others injured and 348 arrested during the protests that rocked the country on Monday.
He argued that previous economic challenges, including the high cost of unga, were resolved through targeted government measures such as subsidised fertiliser and increased food production rather than street protests.
“We cannot allow criminals to take our country hostage and sabotage the economy through violent protests, anarchy and looting. National security comes first. There is no compromise on that,” he warned.
Kindiki nonetheless acknowledged that Kenyans were hurting from the rising cost of fuel but maintained that dialogue and government intervention not chaos in the streets remained the only sustainable path to addressing the crisis.
He further said president William Ruto has ordered an interministerial engagement of Cabinet Secretaries responsible for the National Treasury, Energy, Transport and Interior to engage with stakeholders to see what additional measures are necessary, and to make sure normalcy in the transport sector returns as soon as possible.
"While citizens have the freedom to demonstrate to show their displeasure with the prevailing situation, criminal acts of arson, obstruction of traffic,looting of property and robbery of motorists and other innocent members of the public cannot be tolerated and will be severely punished."