In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing petroleum supply chain scandal, Kenya’s top energy officials have tendered resignations following revelations of substandard fuel procurement and alleged misrepresentation of in-country fuel stocks.
The resignations come in the wake of a government inquiry into irregularities linked to emergency fuel shipments procured at inflated prices, outside the Government-to-Government (G2G) framework established in 2023.
Those who have resigned are Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director General Daniel Kiptoo, and Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Managing Director Joe Sang.
The move has sent shockwaves through the energy sector, raising questions about oversight, governance, and accountability in one of the country’s most critical sectors.
On Thursday, April 2, 2026, investigative agencies acting on a Presidential directive effected the arrest of key officeholders responsible for administering Kenya’s petroleum supply chain.
Among those implicated were PS Liban who has since submitted his resignation following the probe, KPC Managing Director Joe Sang , who has also resigned from his post ands Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria, Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), who also stepped down.
The inquiry revealed that the officials allegedly manipulated data on fuel stocks, creating a false impression of impending shortages.
This misrepresentation reportedly facilitated the repeated procurement of emergency fuel shipments at above-contract rates, with some consignments later found to be of substandard quality.
A statement from the Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service, Felix K. Koskei, on Saturday, April 4, 2026, emphasized the gravity of the misconduct:
“Such falsification of information and misrepresentation by primary duty bearers within the petroleum supply chain constitute serious breaches of public trust and may amount to economic crimes under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act (Chapter 65, Laws of Kenya) and the Penal Code (Chapter 63, Laws of Kenya).”
The government confirmed that administrative actions are ongoing against other senior officials, including Joseph Wafula, Deputy Director of Petroleum, and Joel Mburu, Supply and Logistics Manager at KPC. Investigative agencies will continue inquiries to ensure full accountability and reversal of irregular shipment requisitions to align with the G2G framework.
The G2G arrangement, introduced in 2023, was intended to stabilize fuel supply, mitigate price volatility, and safeguard Kenya against foreign exchange constraints.
Despite its success in ensuring uninterrupted fuel availability, the scheme has now been overshadowed by allegations of exploitation and malpractice within the sector.
The resignations come hours after Kakamega County Senator Boni Khalwale called for the immediate arrest or dismissal of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi following a widening scandal over the alleged diversion of substandard fuel into the Kenyan market.
In a strongly worded statement issued via his official X account on Saturday, April 4, 2026, the Kakamega senator accused the Energy Cabinet Secretary of failing in his core mandate, arguing that he should be held accountable over the reported circulation of condemned fuel valued at Ksh4 billion.
Khalwale said Wandayi, as the head of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, bears ultimate responsibility for policy implementation and oversight.
“CS Opiyo Wandayi’s core responsibility is to develop, implement, review and enforce policies in the Ministry of Energy & Petroleum. He is the leader, reporting directly to the President. He knew or aught to have known the diversion of condemned fuel worth Sh 4billion, by those 3 thieves, into the Kenyan market,” Khalwale stated.
