Wamae faults police fuel demands despite taxpayer funding
By William Muthama, September 20, 2025Former Roots Party deputy leader Justina Wamae has faulted police officers for demanding fuel from the public despite already receiving government allocations.
She argued that such requests expose deep accountability failures, since taxpayers already contribute to cover these costs.
Through a post on her X account on Saturday, September 20, 2025, Wamae argued that officers are allocated enough fuel each month and questioned why Kenyans are still forced to shoulder the costs during operations.
“Now that the police receive 450L monthly, and they end up asking for fuel, which Kenyans pay for anyway, need I say more to underpin Ordering the Disorder in Funding Article 43?” she wrote.
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Wamae further highlighted the broader economic context, noting that ordinary revenue has dropped even as nearly half of the national income is tied up in obligations.
“Na msisime our taxes, our taxes na in tutam regime ordinary revenue has dropped to 14%, while 48% goes to debt repayment, pensions and subscriptions to international organisations,” she added.
For her, asking citizens to dig deeper for fuel was unjustifiable at such a time when Kenyans are facing economic strains.
Murkomen stands firm
The remarks follow a day after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen criticised journalists for questioning his position on the matter.
Murkomen had suggested that police officers can ask citizens to fuel their vehicles when called upon for security services.
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Amid growing outrage, the CS dismissed claims that such requests amount to bribery, insisting that officers are often stranded due to fuel shortages before the month-end.
“Is it news that mafuta ya polisi for the longest inaisha before the end of the month? It’s public knowledge; the allocation we give our police is 450 litres… Halafu polisi akisema mafuta imeisha unaita yeye corrupt…tuwache ujinga,” Murkomen said.
Govt considers review
He accused journalists of twisting his earlier remarks and turning a funding challenge into a corruption scandal.
“Nilikuwa naona wengine wanaandika kwa gazeti eti Murkomen is encouraging corruption by saying support police officers, mwekee mafuta kwa gari zao. Kwani hiyo ni story?” he stated.
Murkomen maintained that it is not uncommon for police vehicles to run out of fuel mid-month but revealed that the government is in talks with Treasury to increase allocations from 450 litres to 650 litres per vehicle.