The controversy centres on a petrol shipment that failed to meet Kenya\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Speaking to Channel Africa on Tuesday, Nairobi\u2011based 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\u2011exported to Angola. \u201cThe fuel allegedly failed to meet local standards,\u201d Wakaba said. \u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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\u2019s usual hedging premium of around $84 per tonne under the Government\u2011to\u2011Government arrangement. \u201cThis could have pushed fuel prices up by about 5%,\u201d he said. \u201cIn Kenya, where adjustments are usually just one or two shillings, that would have been massive.\u201d<\/p>\n
The scandal has already led to the exit of several senior officials. The Director\u2011General 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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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\u2019s petroleum sector, which has long been vulnerable to manipulation despite recent reforms.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a huge trust deficit,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":31052,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[44],"class_list":["post-31051","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-finance","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"Pressure is mounting on Kenya\u2019s Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi to step aside following a fuel import scandal involving two petroleum consignments totalling 128\u202f000 tonnes that were brought in outside the approved Government\u2011to\u2011Government procurement framework.","published_date":"","news_description":"Pressure is mounting on Kenya\u2019s Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi to step aside following a fuel import scandal involving two petroleum consignments totalling 128\u202f000 tonnes that were brought in outside the approved Government\u2011to\u2011Government procurement framework.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/31051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/31051\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31055,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/31051\/revisions\/31055"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=31051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}