United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has strongly condemned what it described as reckless and irresponsible remarks by impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua concerning a foiled scheme to import substandard petroleum products.
The party warned that political opportunism on matters of national economic security poses a serious danger to public welfare.
Speaking to the press in Mombasa Monday, UDA Secretary General and EALA MP Hassan Omar Sarai accused Gachagua and Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro of siding with civil servants implicated in the plot, which would have cost Kenyans more than Sh3 billion.
Sarai alleged that a clique of civil servants conspired to import petroleum products at prices between Sh50 and Sh80 above the existing Government-to-Government (G-to-G) shipment rates, while bypassing mandatory product quality testing protocols.
He revealed that the scheme would have triggered a fuel price increase of up to Sh60 per litre within two weeks, fueling inflation and exposing consumers, the transport sector, and key economic sectors to severe risks.
“During this vulnerable moment, a small clique of unscrupulous civil servants, sworn to safeguard the national interest, conspired to enrich themselves at the expense of millions of Kenyans,” Sarai said.
The UDA Secretary General said the officials had restricted the discharge of petroleum products to oil marketing companies, creating artificial supply constraints while the public directed its frustration toward innocent market players.
He commended the government and its security agencies for swiftly intervening to stop what the party termed an attempted act of economic sabotage.
UDA took issue with statements made by Gachagua and Nyoro, accusing the two of defending the individuals behind the scheme instead of condemning their actions.
Sarai said the duo had lent credence to dangerous narratives that threatened economic stability and displayed a troubling lack of understanding of international oil procurement frameworks.
“While politics may be contested on many fronts, Gachagua ought to be reminded that matters touching on national economic security demand restraint, maturity, and statesmanship from leaders across all political persuasions,” Sarai said.
He further urged investigative agencies to scrutinise Gachagua’s remarks, claiming they appeared to suggest an unusual familiarity with the alleged scheme.
Sarai added that should evidence of complicity be established, Gachagua should be treated as an accomplice and subjected to the full force of the law.
On fuel pricing, the Secretary General assured Kenyans that they would not bear the financial burden of the failed importation attempt.
The EALA MP stated that the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) would maintain the G-to-G pricing framework during the forthcoming price review, describing it as the most reliable safeguard for fuel quality, supply stability, and national energy security.
Sarai confirmed that the government would publicly release the mandatory quality test results conducted at the point of discharge, and that no waivers of testing protocols would be entertained.
He also announced that surcharge and recovery proceedings had commenced against the implicated importers to protect taxpayers from any financial exposure.
The ScretaryGeneral proposed punitive sanctions equivalent to five times the projected loss, amounting to Sh15 billion, and recommended that the recovered funds be ring-fenced for strengthening Level Six referral hospitals.
“These recovered funds should be channelled toward strengthening Level Six referral hospitals, thereby converting a potential loss into a long-term public health investment,” he said.
By Ramadhan Nassib
