On Tuesday, May 19, Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told Kenyans to keep pushing for the reduction of fuel prices despite the decision to suspend the matatu strike.
Speaking in London, Gachagua claimed that the suspension of the strike meant an end to negotiations on the discussion to reduce fuel costs in the country.
He asked Kenyans not to relent and keep agitating for the prices to go down until the government heeds their demands.
"The one-week strike suspension is just a decoy; there will be no negotiations. I urge the transport sector and Kenyans to continue agitations until there is justice," Gachagua stated.
He further condemned the attacks on private property and individuals by alleged goons during the fuel protests, and accused the government of deploying the latter to harass Kenyans.
The DCP Leader called out Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for allegedly insinuating that the protests were a one-community affair.
"How do you reduce a national conversation and national rage by the people of Kenya to ethnic profiling? Murkomen, do you think that Kenyans are fools or reason like you?
"Why can't you listen to the people of Kenya and what they want? Kenyans are saying that they have reached their elastic limit and breaking point," he added.
Gachagua further called out his former boss for globe-trotting instead of addressing the issues affecting Kenyans. He argued that all the conferences he attends could be attended by junior officers in the government.
The DCP Leader reiterated that the government-to-government deal was the main cause of the sharp increase in fuel prices in Kenya.
He called for the scrapping of the value-added tax (VAT) imposed on fuel and further urged oil marketing companies to reduce their margin on fuel products.
"The oil marketers are getting Ksh24 per litre; they also must agree to go by half and only take Ksh12. If all these measures are implemented, the cost of fuel will go down," he added.
His statement came after stakeholders in the public transport sector announced the suspension of their strike and fuel protests for seven days to allow room for negotiations.
The stakeholders want the government to reduce the cost of diesel by Ksh36 per litre, stating that the current pump prices have increased their operational costs.
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