The National Assembly’s Energy Committee has summoned Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi to explain the importation of allegedly substandard petroleum products, as a deepening fuel scandal continues to expose weaknesses in Kenya’s supply chain and procurement systems.
Committee Chair David Gikaria said Parliament had taken up the matter, warning that any breach in fuel quality, import procedures, or regulatory oversight would not be tolerated. He emphasised that lapses in the petroleum value chain pose risks to consumer safety, investor confidence, and environmental protection.
“In exercise of our oversight mandate, the committee has formally required the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, alongside all relevant institutions across the petroleum value chain, to appear before the committee on Thursday, April 9,” Gikaria said.
The committee is expected to determine the origin of the disputed fuel, whether due process under the government-to-government (G2G) framework was followed, and if standard procedures were bypassed.
The summons comes amid growing concern over fuel availability, with long queues reported at petrol stations across the country, despite assurances that existing stocks should last at least two weeks.
Fresh details have also linked the unfolding scandal to a high-level meeting of the National Security Council Committee (NSCC) held on March 9 at the Office of the President and chaired by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei. Documents indicate that the meeting directed the Ministry of Energy to explore alternative fuel sources outside the G2G framework, citing fears of supply disruptions triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East.
“Given the Middle East’s central role in global energy supply, international trade routes, and security dynamics, prolonged instability may affect Kenya through volatility in global oil prices and disruptions in maritime trade,” Koskei said.
Following the directive, then Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban sought alternative fuel supplies to avert a potential shortage. However, investigations have since revealed that two consignments totaling 128,000 tonnes were imported outside the established framework, raising questions over legality, pricing, and quality.
Liban, Joe Sang, and Daniel Kiptoo have since resigned and are under investigation over the controversial imports.
While announcing their exit, Koskei accused the officials of manipulating fuel stock data to justify the emergency procurement.
“The shipment in question was procured in blatant breach of the G2G framework, at a price significantly above the contracted rates, in complete disregard of established emergency procurement procedures, and was of substandard quality,” he said.
Further correspondence shows that the ministry sought flexibility from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) to allow the importation of fuel initially intended for other markets, even where specifications did not fully meet regional standards.
“As you are aware, the ongoing conflict in the Gulf region has affected marine traffic flow… suppliers… must actively source refined products to meet the delivery schedule and ensure security of supply,” Liban wrote.
He added: “Sometimes, the products found in the market were originally meant for other markets, where specifications do not completely match those required by East Africa or the receiving terminal.”
KEBS later allowed conditional waivers, including blending the imported fuel with compliant stocks to reduce harmful chemical levels.
At the centre of the controversy is a 60,000-metric-tonne consignment of petrol that arrived in Mombasa aboard the vessel MT Paloma on March 27, after being diverted from Angola. The shipment has since been flagged as substandard and irregularly procured.
“…a 60,000-metric-tonne consignment of super petrol was recently imported in contravention of the procedures set out under the G2G framework with international suppliers… This consignment is priced at Sh198,000 per metric tonne, compared to Sh140,000 per metric tonne under the G2G arrangement, which would result in an approximate rise of Sh14 per litre in pump prices on this consignment alone,” Wandayi said.
The government has since ordered the withdrawal of the cargo from the market.
One Petroleum Ltd, one of the firms involved in the importation, maintained that it had acted in response to a government request and had taken steps to ensure the fuel does not enter circulation.
“Following consultations with the government, One Petroleum Ltd confirms that it has forthwith taken steps to ensure that the petroleum cargo does not enter the Kenyan market,” the company said.
The scandal has not only triggered investigations and high-level exits but also exposed broader vulnerabilities in Kenya’s energy security framework. In response, the NSCC has proposed long-term measures, including diversifying fuel import sources, reducing reliance on a single region, and developing a National Energy Security and Resilience Plan.
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