CS Murkomen: 4 people dead, 30 injured during anti-fuel price protests

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen / Screengrab

The government has stated that at least four people have been killed and 30 others injured during fuel price demonstrations that turned violent in parts of the country.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen accused unnamed political actors of orchestrating chaos and targeting public and private property.

Speaking on Tuesday, Murkomen said the unrest, which erupted amid protests over fuel price increases, had been exploited by criminal groups allegedly mobilised for political purposes.

He confirmed that four people had died and more than 30 others were injured during the protests, describing the loss of life as regrettable.

The CS said the violence, which included looting, road blockades, and destruction of property, could not resolve the underlying fuel price concerns and instead worsened economic conditions.

“It is unfortunate that we lost four Kenyans in today’s violence, which also saw more than 30 people injured. It is regrettable 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.

“Loitering, violence, blocking roads and vandalising public and private property can in no way bring down the oil prices. If anything, the disruption of transport and closure of business can only worsen the situation.”

Murkomen said government agencies, including the National Treasury and the Ministries of Energy and transport, were engaging transport stakeholders in ongoing talks aimed at addressing fuel price pressures.

“The government, led by the National Treasury and the Ministries of Energy and Transport, is taking steps to engage with transport stakeholders to explore the ways of addressing price increases. We are confident that their talks will bear fruit.”

He claimed that while many parts of the country remained peaceful, some areas experienced coordinated violence involving criminal networks allegedly deployed to attack state-linked projects and individuals perceived to support the government.

“We are, however, concerned that although most parts of Kenya were peaceful, criminal elements in some parts have been mobilised and deployed by rogue politicians to target government projects, property, personal property, pro-government and also property of pro-government leaders,” he said.

Murkomen cited incidents of looting and arson, including attacks on businesses and infrastructure, as evidence of what he described as a deliberate campaign of intimidation.

“The looting of supermarkets owned by a member of parliament who supports government, the burning down of UDA offices in Wote in Makueni County and the torching of two trucks are not coincidence,” he said.

“It is a calculated move to spread fear and intimidate government supporters and innocent public servants.”

The Cabinet Secretary also linked the violence to broader political tensions, accusing sections of the political class of inciting intolerance and targeting opponents through inflammatory rhetoric.

“Coupled with the recent violent attacks on Rachel Wandeto, who passed on this morning, we are witnessing a clear scheme where a section of the political class is making incendiary statements to fund intolerance and ethnic bigotry,” he said.

Murkomen added that security agencies had been directed to intensify operations against those responsible for the unrest, warning that the full force of the law would be applied.

“The full force of law will be brought to bear on the organisers of today’s violence and wanton destruction of property. In fact, about 348 perpetrators have already been arrested.”

Murkomen warned political leaders against profiling citizens based on political affiliation, saying they would be held accountable for incitement and destruction of property.

“To the leaders who have been profiling Kenyans of different political opinions and calling them traitors, we shall hold you personally responsible for the lives lost,” he said.

He urged calm and assured the public that security agencies had restored order, noting that blocked roads had been cleared and transport networks reopened as investigations continue.