Fresh details have emerged linking Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi to key decisions that led to a near fuel crisis in Kenya late last month, raising serious concerns about accountability within the ministry.
According to a report published by The Standard on Tuesday, internal documents indicate that Wandayi was fully briefed throughout the unfolding situation.
The crisis, which threatened to disrupt fuel supply across the country in late March, has since exposed systemic failures in oversight and decision-making within the Energy Ministry.
The publication reports that the Cabinet Secretary received copies of all critical correspondence and minutes from meetings held during the crisis period.
These documents allegedly show that Wandayi was aware that a cargo supplied by Gulf Energy did not meet Kenya’s fuel quality standards.
Despite this, he is said to have supported a controversial exemption that allowed the importation of fuel with higher sulphur and manganese content, alongside lower octane levels.
Energy experts warn that such deviations could have long-term implications on engine performance and environmental safety.
Further scrutiny has been drawn to the financial implications of the deal. Reports indicate that the fuel cargo carried a premium of 255 USD per metric tonne, significantly higher than the 84 USD per metric tonne under the government-to-government framework.
This disparity is estimated to have added approximately Sh17.49 per litre to the retail fuel price, placing an additional burden on consumers.
The unfolding revelations have intensified public pressure on the ministry, with stakeholders questioning why corrective action was not taken despite apparent prior knowledge of the risks.
As scrutiny mounts, attention now shifts to whether investigations will be initiated and what consequences, if any, will follow for those implicated in the decisions that nearly pushed the country into a fuel shortage.