Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has denied prior knowledge of the substandard fuel consignment which was imported into the country outside government-to-government framework.
While appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy, Wandayi said the 60,000 metric tonnes of fuel worth Ksh 11.9 billion brought into the country by One Petroleum Limited was procured outside the G-to-G agreement the country has entered into with three state owned suppliers from the Gulf.
Wandayi told Members of Parliament that the decision to procure the fuel consignment was based on recommendations by the ministry’s technical committee following a brief on stock possession where a proposal for super petrol delivery was approved by former Principal Secretary Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohammed Liban who has since resigned.
“The approval of the Cabinet Secretary was not sought. Of course if it was sought formally, I would have acted on it only on the advice and most definitely I would have escalated it to His Excellency the President,” Wandayi told the committee.
Wandayi revealed to the legislators that a second vessel by Gulf Energy which was expected to deliver fuel to the country was also stopped having procured the commodity outside the G-to-G framework which commenced in April 2023.
“When it emerged on 30th of March 2026 that actually this particular consignment had come outside G-2-G, we moved very quickly as such a deviation from the established framework would have required high approvals. I personally moved quickly and briefed His Excellency the President,“ Wandayi told the committee.
The condemned consignment by OPL which has since been directed to exit the Kenyan market was also found to be substandard.
“Concerning this particular consignment in question, from the documents provided, certain parameters were off the specifications and from records, a waiver was sought from Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) by the State Department for Petroleum,” he stated.
The Load Port Report of Analysis of the consignment showed that the super petrol contained excess oxygenics, manganese, sulfur and benzene contrary to the KSEAS1582025 standard.
Despite procuring the fuel outside G-to-G, Wandayi confirmed that under G-to-G framework, ARAMCO Trading, ADNOC Global Trading and Emirates National Oil Company had subcontracted OPL, Oryx, Galana Oil, Asharami, Be Energy and Gulf Energy to supply the country with fuel.
As to whether there was a case of data manipulation as alleged, Wadayi asked for investigations to be complete to reveal what actually transpired in the deal that has now turned sour.
Wandayi said as a result of the fuel controversy, the Ministry has now initiated a comprehensive internal review of petroleum product management systems and processes in order to reinforce transparency, quality safeguards and ensure continued integrity of the supply chain.
