The James Orengo-led Linda Mwananchi faction within Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has launched a scathing attack on the government over rising fuel prices, alleged police brutality and Kenya’s mounting public debt crisis, demanding sweeping economic reforms including a Ksh54 reduction in diesel prices.
In a strongly-worded statement issued on Tuesday, May 19, the splinter faction accused the state of violating constitutional freedoms during recent anti-fuel protests that rocked several parts of the country and paralysed transport operations.
The faction, spearheaded by Governor Orengo, proposed a series of urgent interventions aimed at easing the burden on struggling Kenyans amid escalating living costs.
Among the measures tabled were the immediate removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel, a Ksh7 reduction in the fuel levy, a Ksh4 cut in importer and marketer margins and the introduction of a Ksh5 billion diesel subsidy programme.
According to the group, the combined proposals would slash diesel prices by at least Ksh54 per litre — a move they claimed would provide critical relief to households, transport operators and businesses grappling with soaring operational expenses.
“The rising fuel prices have pushed millions of Kenyans to the brink,” the statement said.
“The government must urgently intervene to protect ordinary citizens from unbearable economic hardship.”
The faction further accused security agencies of violently cracking down on demonstrators who had taken to the streets to protest against the soaring cost of fuel, demonstrations that culminated in a nationwide matatu strike beginning Monday, May 18.
“We strongly condemn the overt violation of constitutional rights during peaceful public demonstrations against the escalating cost of fuel,” the statement read in part.
“Every Kenyan possesses an inalienable right to assemble, picket and express grievances without fear of state intimidation or violent suppression.”
The group also condemned alleged attacks on journalists covering the protests, warning that media freedom remained a cornerstone of democracy and insisting that police officers had a duty to protect reporters rather than intimidate them.
At the same time, the faction raised alarm over what it described as escalating police brutality during the demonstrations, claiming that at least four people lost their lives in the unrest.
According to the statement, three protesters were allegedly shot dead while another reportedly died after being run over by a police vehicle during the chaos.
The group has now called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to launch urgent investigations into the deaths and ensure officers found culpable are prosecuted.
Beyond the protests, the ODM splinter faction turned its attention to Kenya’s worsening debt burden, warning that the country’s public debt had climbed to an alarming Ksh12.84 trillion by the end of February 2026, based on Treasury data.
The statement further claimed that Kenya’s debt-to-GDP ratio had surged to 69.5 per cent, edging dangerously close to the record 73.4 per cent peak registered in 2023.
The faction warned that the trajectory posed a serious threat to the country’s long-term economic stability.
The explosive demands come amid growing political and economic tension following the suspension of the nationwide matatu strike on Tuesday after emergency talks between transport operators and government officials at Harambee House in Nairobi.
During the negotiations, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced that consultations between the government and stakeholders would continue until May 26 as public transport operators resumed services across the country.
However, transport operators warned they could return to the streets if the government fails to honour agreements reached during the talks.
Meanwhile, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki defended the government’s controversial fuel taxation policy, arguing that fuel levies remained essential in funding road infrastructure, education and social protection programmes.
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