Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo have defended police officers accused of asking civilians to fuel their vehicles. Both officials insisted that the issue is not corruption but a result of serious fuel shortages that cripple police operations across the country.
Why Do Police Officers Ask Civilians for Fuel?
The discussion came up during a Citizen TV session when an audience member complained about being told to “weka mafuta” whenever they reported cases at police stations. Omollo admitted that the practice is common but explained that it is linked to budget constraints. He revealed that many police stations run out of their allocations halfway through the month, leaving officers stranded during emergencies.
“With regards to the issue on fuel, when you report a matter to the police station, we acknowledge there’s a gap in certain parts of the country based on what is made available to the police, given the distances that they cover,” Omollo said. He added that some officers spend nearly half of their fuel allocation on long-distance trips to collect supplies, leaving them with limited resources for the rest of the month.
How Is the Government Addressing Police Fuel Shortages?
Murkomen backed Omollo’s explanation, saying the requests should not be mistaken for bribes. He noted that under the government’s leasing program, each police vehicle is allocated 450 litres of fuel per month, but the supply is often depleted before the 20th day.
“Kenyans think when the police say ‘leta mafuta’ they actually mean leta kitu ya corruption. It’s not true. The real truth is that in our leasing program, we are giving 450 litres of fuel to police officers for the entire month. If an officer is in Kibish and is picking fuel from Kitale, by the time he returns to the station, he has already consumed a huge portion of the allocation,” Murkomen explained.
He added that even in urban areas, officers run out of fuel before the month ends due to frequent patrols and emergency responses. Officers have proposed raising the allocation to 650 litres to keep their vehicles operational throughout the month.
How Did Murkomen Address Police Bribery?
Beyond fuel challenges, Murkomen also addressed the wider issue of police corruption. He argued that bribery is often enabled by Kenyans themselves, especially motorists who offer money at roadblocks to avoid facing the law. According to him, these habits make corruption more tempting for officers already struggling with financial and operational difficulties.
Murkomen and Omollo emphasized that the government is reviewing police fuel allocations and seeking budgetary adjustments to reduce dependency on civilians for fuel.
By Risper Akinyi
