NAIROBI, Kenya- Former Deputy President and DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused a rogue police unit operating from Hurlingham, Nairobi, of harassing, intimidating and unlawfully seizing property from small-scale gas traders.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 26, Gachagua described the facility, which he said is located at the former Heart Centre in Hurlingham, as a “Black Site” and said that it is not a gazetted police station.
He said the unit was established in June 2025 by the DIG of Police Eliud Lagat and operates with a multi-rank police command, including an OCPD, OCS, deputy OCS, crime officers and about 25 officers.
Gachagua further revealed that the operation is supervised by a private citizen, whom he identified as Clive Mutiso, accusing him of conducting what he described as illegal inspections and threatening small-scale gas retailers.
“The “Black Site” as popularly known, has an armory, a clandestine budget, and multi-rank police command; OCPD Mr. Robert Linyiru Gituma, OCS, SSP, Deputy OCS, OC Crime and 25 rogue officers,” the DCP Leader said.
Gachagua: Over 200,000 cylinders seized
According to Gachagua, the unit carried out raids targeting small-scale LPG retailers in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos between June and October 2025.
He said officers, using private vehicles and lorries, seized more than 200,000 gas cylinders during the operations.
“Where are these 200,000 gas cylinders?” Gachagua asked.
He said that the seizures were carried out without inventories or entries in police Occurrence Books and claimed that traders were not taken to court.
Gachagua accused the police unit of operating with impunity and claimed its officers report directly to the Kenya Police Deputy Inspector General of Police Lagat.
He further alleged that the operation was later extended to North Rift, Nyanza and Western Kenya, where gas cylinders and vehicles belonging to traders were allegedly seized and taken to Kakamega Police Station.
Gachagua questions police role in LPG enforcement
The former Deputy President’s revelations come as the LPG sector is subject to extensive regulation and enforcement by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
EPRA has previously confirmed that it conducts surveillance and enforcement operations targeting illegal LPG activities, including unlicensed facilities, unauthorised refilling and trading in cylinders belonging to other brands.
Under Kenya’s 2025 LPG regulations, the regulator has powers to confiscate cylinders that do not bear valid seals and cylinder pairing recorded in its central register.
EPRA’s own compliance report shows that it inspected 1,144 LPG retail and wholesale sites, alongside hundreds of tankers and storage and filling plants, during the period covered by its June 2025 report.
Gachagua, however, insists his concerns are not about legitimate regulation.
“No LPG trader is against any regulations and laws; the question is harassment, arbitrary arrests, illegal seizure of gas cylinders and extortion,” he said.
Gachagua has called for the immediate closure of the Hurlingham facility and demanded investigations into the officers and individuals he accused of running the operation.
He also demanded the return of the more than 200,000 cylinders he alleges were seized and compensation for traders who lost their businesses.
The DCP leader claimed that some of the seized cylinders were subsequently channelled to private LPG businesses allegedly linked to politicians and state actors.
He cited an LPG business in Kitengela and claimed some of the cylinders were seen during the Ol Kalou by-election.
