Pressure Rises on CS Wandayi Over Fuel Quality and National Reserves

The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy has officially summoned Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi to explain the recent influx of substandard fuel into the Kenyan market. The committee also directed the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) and the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) to provide a comprehensive status report on the country’s current petroleum strategic reserves.

The summons follows a series of laboratory tests conducted in late March 2026, which revealed that several retail stations in the Nairobi and Central regions were dispensing fuel contaminated with high levels of sulfur and water. These findings triggered widespread public outcry from motorists who reported engine failures and increased maintenance costs. Lawmakers are now demanding to know how the contaminated products bypassed stringent quality control measures at the Port of Mombasa and subsequent KPC depots.

Committee Chairperson Vincent Musyoka stated that the oversight body would not tolerate negligence that threatens the livelihoods of millions of Kenyans and the stability of the transport sector. The committee is specifically investigating whether the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) oil deal has impacted the rigorous testing standards previously maintained by independent inspectors. Members of Parliament have also raised concerns regarding a potential fuel shortage after reports emerged of logistical delays in the high-seas discharge of several tankers.

“We have received numerous petitions from the Kenya Private Sector Alliance regarding the quality of fuel currently in our pumps,” Chairperson Vincent Musyoka remarked during the committee briefing in Parliament Buildings. “Our primary responsibility is to ensure that the Energy Ministry and its affiliate agencies are protecting the consumer. CS Wandayi must provide a clear roadmap on how these batches were cleared and what measures are in place to prevent a recurrence of this crisis.”

In response to the preliminary inquiries, EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo confirmed that the authority has already suspended the licenses of five independent oil marketers found in possession of the adulterated stock. However, the committee insists that a more systemic audit of the entire supply chain is necessary to restore public confidence.

The scheduled hearing is set for next Tuesday at the Mini-Chamber of County Hall, where CS Opiyo Wandayi is expected to lead a high-level delegation from the energy sector. Failure to appear could result in further parliamentary sanctions or a recommendation for a full forensic audit of the national fuel procurement process.