The two senior officials insisted the practice is not corruption but a result of budget shortfalls.
Speaking on Citizen TV, Omollo admitted that some police stations run out of fuel allocations halfway through the month, making it difficult for officers to respond to emergencies.
He said the problem is worse in remote areas where patrol vehicles cover long distances.
“With the fuel allocated, some officers use almost half on one trip to pick up supplies. By the time they return to the station, the tanks are already running dry,” Omollo explained.
He added that the Interior Ministry is seeking more resources to ensure officers can operate throughout the month.
CS Murkomen echoed the remarks, noting that each police vehicle is currently allocated 450 litres of fuel monthly under the government’s leasing program. According to him, the amount is rarely enough.
“By the 20th of the month, many vehicles are grounded. This leaves officers with no choice but to ask citizens to assist when urgent cases arise,” he said.
The CS dismissed claims that officers asking for fuel money are engaging in bribery.
“Kenyans think when police say ‘weka mafuta’ they are asking for kitu kidogo. That is not true. The truth is that the vehicles have no fuel because the allocation is too little,” Murkomen said.
To solve the problem, Murkomen revealed that officers have suggested raising the monthly allocation to 650 litres per vehicle.
He argued that this would allow police to remain on patrol until the end of the month without inconveniencing the public.
At the same time, the CS faulted Kenyans for promoting corruption in other ways, especially on the roads. He said many motorists prefer bribing officers to avoid facing traffic courts for offences such as overloading or speeding.
“When people offer bribes first, police are tempted to accept. That habit is what normalizes corruption,” he stated.
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