The recent resignations of three senior energy sector officials have triggered a fierce debate on governance, corruption and Kenya’s long‑standing energy insecurity, with economic analyst Ephraim Njega delivering a scathing critique of the administration’s handling of the crisis.
On Saturday, Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban (State Department of Petroleum), Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Managing Director Joe Sang, and Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director‑General Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria stepped down amid a criminal investigation into irregularities surrounding fuel imports and stock reporting.
The departures followed their arrests on Thursday, April 2, as investigators probed allegations that in‑country fuel stock data had been manipulated to justify emergency imports procured outside established Government‑to‑Government frameworks.
In an exclusive commentary, Njega warned the resignations expose “how brutally corrupt this regime is,” arguing that officials appeared more focused on personal gain than stabilising the energy sector.
“Governments all over the world are working overnight trying to address the crisis. Locally, the officials are burning the midnight oil scheming on how to benefit from the crisis,” he said.
Njega’s remarks pointed to broader structural issues, asserting that Kenya has the resources to be energy self‑sufficient — notably its own crude oil reserves in Turkana — but corruption has hindered domestic refining capacity.
“There are people mocking us, saying that we will blame Ruto for the crisis, yet it is global,” he said.
“These regime sycophants should be reminded that Kenya has crude oil. The only reason that we can’t refine it for domestic use is because of corruption. Our leaders are compromised by our oil suppliers so that we are forever energy insecure.”
The analyst’s comments reflect growing public frustration over the economic and social impact of fuel price shocks and supply disruptions.
Kenya’s reliance on imported petroleum products has long been criticised as a vulnerability, with import costs directly influencing transport, food prices and inflation.
Njega reiterated that without reliable and affordable energy, food security and medicine distribution could be severely affected: “If we are to be serious as a country, we should be secure in food, energy and critical medicine. You could call these the 3Ms — Meals, Movement and Medicine.”
To address what he describes as systemic weakness, Njega called for a 3M strategy that prioritises self‑sufficiency in essential sectors.
“We need a 3M strategy that ensures we are self‑sufficient in these three things,” he said, urging policymakers to adopt a long‑term framework that safeguards the economy from external shocks.
Central to his demand is the nationalisation and local refinement of Turkana oil.
“The Turkana Oil must be nationalised and refined for domestic use. You can’t outsource a product whose supply disruption can cripple the entire economy,” Njega said.
He argued that outsourcing critical energy supply exposes the country to geopolitical shocks and leaves Kenya at the mercy of global price volatility.
The analyst also criticised the government’s policy focus, alleging that high‑visibility infrastructure projects are prioritised for political gain while foundational initiatives such as energy independence are neglected.
“The regime is only prioritising high‑visibility projects for political purposes. It ignores strategic projects which are foundational for economic prosperity and national sovereignty,” he said, calling for a shift in priorities to strengthen Kenya’s economic foundations.