The controversy centres on a petrol shipment that failed to meet Kenya’s fuel quality standards and was priced well above the usual market premium. While Wandayi has acknowledged that the consignment was imported outside the framework, public scrutiny has intensified as further details emerge.
Speaking to Channel Africa on Tuesday, Nairobi‑based business news editor and economic commentator Peter Wakaba said one of the companies involved, One Energy, has since indicated it will ensure the fuel does not enter the Kenyan market. The consignment, he said, is now expected to be re‑exported to Angola. “The fuel allegedly failed to meet local standards,” Wakaba said. “It had a lower octane rating of 91 instead of 93 and elevated levels of sulphur, manganese and other heavy metals, which are not permitted in Kenya.”
He warned that allowing such fuel into the market would have had serious consequences for motorists, particularly damage to vehicle oxygen sensors and other engine components, significantly increasing maintenance costs.
Beyond quality concerns, Wakaba said the pricing of the consignment raised alarm. The fuel was reportedly priced about $250 per metric tonne above prevailing levels, compared with Kenya’s usual hedging premium of around $84 per tonne under the Government‑to‑Government arrangement. “This could have pushed fuel prices up by about 5%,” he said. “In Kenya, where adjustments are usually just one or two shillings, that would have been massive.”
The scandal has already led to the exit of several senior officials. The Director‑General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority resigned after the board accepted his departure, while the Principal Secretary and the Director of Petroleum were asked to step down.
Public attention has now shifted to Wandayi, with critics questioning how such a deal could progress without ministerial oversight. Wakaba said the incident exposes deeper systemic weaknesses in Kenya’s petroleum sector, which has long been vulnerable to manipulation despite recent reforms.
“There is a huge trust deficit,” he said, noting that Wandayi faced criticism following a recent televised interview in which he appeared unfamiliar with basic details of the fuel procurement system.
While political considerations may yet shield the Minister, Wakaba said public pressure continues to grow, with many Kenyans arguing that accountability must extend to the top.
–ChannelAfrica–
