Senate Standing Committee on Energy has assured Kenyans that no substandard fuel has entered the market following investigations into a controversial shipment.
The committee, led by its vice-chair, who is also Elgeyo Marakwet Senator William Kipkemoi Kipsang, conducted on-site briefings at the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) offices in Mombasa on Wednesday as part of a probe into the fuel carried by vessel MV Paloma.
Kipsang said the committee traveled from Nairobi to verify claims that 95,000 tons of fuel with elevated sulfur content had entered the country.
He noted that samples are normally taken and tested in laboratories before fuel arrives in Kenya to ensure compliance with standards set by the Kenya Bureau of Standards and KPC.
“Samples are taken and processed through a laboratory to ensure the fuel quality coming into our country meets the standards,” Kipsang explained.
The committee learned that the consignment exceeded the required sulphur levels and should have been rejected. However, the Ministry of Energy requested a waiver, which was granted, allowing the product entry.
Senator Veronica Maina described the waiver as a mistake. She said an office without the mandate to handle fuel standards should not have requested it.
“Requesting that waiver was a mistake. An office that doesn’t have the function of looking at fuel standards requesting a waiver, that was a mistake, and it’s what caused that fuel to enter,” Maina stated.
Maina added that the fuel in question has been isolated and will not be released into the market. She urged the committee to ensure the product is removed completely and that similar waivers are not granted in the future.
KPC General Manager, Engineer Moses Gitau assured the Senate and the public that the substandard fuel is not in the market.
The senators noted that the documentation of the process helped trace the error, leading to the resignation of the KPC managing director and the principal secretary for petroleum. The committee also identified gaps in monitoring goods in transit to prevent diversion into the local market.
The committee has summoned several officials to appear before it next Thursday, including representatives from One Petroleum Limited, the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, the Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Industry, the board chair of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and KPC.
Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana assured the public of adequate fuel stocks in the country.
Mungatana said the committee reviewed the 14-day fuel import manifest and confirmed eight vessels are expected to dock with sufficient supplies.
“There should be no panic buying within the country as of now, because we have seen from the manifest that is expected to dock eight vessels that are bringing sufficient fuel into the country,” Mungatana said.
He attributed reported shortages to panic buying and possible actions by traders, not actual low stocks. Mungatana urged oil marketing companies to release products to the market following the latest price review, particularly diesel needed for planting season in various regions.
The committee continues its investigations to establish the full facts and prevent any harm to Kenyans from poor-quality fuel or artificial shortages.
By Ramadhan Nassib
