Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi failed to appear before the National Assembly of Kenya Departmental Committee on Energy on Thursday, deepening scrutiny over allegations that substandard fuel entered the country outside the Government-to-Government import framework.
The session, scheduled for 9 a.m., did not proceed as planned after the CS failed to turn up, prompting members led by committee chairperson David Gikaria to deliberate on enforcement options while granting him the benefit of doubt.
“He has never failed to appear. This is not the first time we have invited him, and he has always appeared. We will give him the benefit of the doubt,” Gikaria told the committee.
Gikaria cited parliamentary Standing Orders to underline the committee’s authority, noting that it can summon individuals and enforce compliance.
He referenced Standing Order 155 on quorum and Standing Orders 191 and 191A, which empower committees to compel attendance and impose sanctions, including fines, for non-compliance.
The absence extended beyond the CS. Several agencies central to the fuel quality inquiry also failed to attend. The Kenya Revenue Authority was the only institution that formally communicated its inability to appear, though lawmakers described the explanation as insufficient.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards, tasked with fuel quality assurance, also failed to honour the summons.
“With the effects of this matter, the committee should not be taken for granted. It is unfortunate that they do not want to appear,” Gikaria said, adding that the secretariat would issue fresh notices. He warned that failure to comply could trigger punitive measures.
The committee had invited Wandayi and petroleum sector officials to clarify claims that substandard petroleum products were imported into the country outside the established framework. The controversy has intensified pressure on the CS, with calls for accountability from legislators.
The matter has already seen high-level fallout, including the resignation and arrest of Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Kenya Pipeline Company official Joe Sang, and Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority director Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria.
Gikaria said the inquiry is being treated with urgency due to potential risks to consumer safety, investor confidence, and the stability of the petroleum supply chain. “We are fully seized of this matter and are treating it with the highest level of seriousness. The integrity of Kenya’s petroleum supply chain is not negotiable,” he said during a press briefing.
Calls for Wandayi’s resignation have also emerged. Boni Khalwale, the Kakamega Senator, urged decisive action, arguing that the CS bears ultimate responsibility for the ministry. Meanwhile, Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo stressed that the public deserves full transparency.
The committee aims to establish the origin of the allegedly substandard fuel, determine whether procedures under the Government-to-Government arrangement were bypassed, and identify lapses in regulatory and quality control systems.
Lawmakers warned that culpable individuals would be held accountable for acts of commission, omission, or negligence.
The developments come amid concerns over possible fuel shortages. However, the committee cited Treasury submissions indicating adequate stocks as of March 30, 2026: 138,623 metric tonnes of super petrol, sufficient for 16 days; 207,841 metric tonnes of diesel covering 19 days; and 150,398 metric tonnes of jet fuel, enough for 49 days.
Despite those assurances, MPs said definitive confirmation on fuel quality, supply sufficiency, and price stability would require direct responses from Wandayi.
He is expected to explain how non-compliant fuel entered the market, outline corrective measures, and provide a roadmap to seal regulatory gaps.
“The Kenyan public deserves full transparency, and this matter must be pursued to its logical conclusion without fear or favour,” Odhiambo said.
