Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has assured Kenyans that the country has sufficient fuel stocks and that additional shipments are already on the way, even as concerns grow over supply disruptions and rising pump prices.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Energy Committee on Monday, April 13, 2026, Wandayi dismissed fears of a nationwide fuel crisis, stating that current reserves are adequate to meet demand for several days.

“I want to assure Kenyans that there is no shortage of fuel. As of today, we have 183,318 cubic metres of petrol and 152,750 cubic metres of diesel, enough to last us for many days. More shipments are also on the way,” he told lawmakers.

The CS emphasised that any localised shortages being reported are not due to a lack of national supply but are instead the result of market behaviour by certain industry players.

“There is no shortage of fuel in the country. If there is any shortage, it has been caused by oil market players,” Wandayi said.

His remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of oil marketing companies (OMCs), with the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) stepping up enforcement actions against firms suspected of hoarding fuel and manipulating supply chains.

In a directive issued earlier in April, EPRA revealed it had received multiple complaints claiming that some marketers were deliberately withholding fuel from independent retailers in anticipation of higher prices.

Preliminary investigations indicated that certain companies had restricted sales to non-franchised dealers, a practice the regulator described as unlawful under the Petroleum Act.

Additionally, EPRA flagged cases where wholesale or ex-depot prices exceeded regulatory caps, further exacerbating supply challenges and contributing to consumer anxiety.

Despite these findings, Wandayi maintained that the government is taking firm action to stabilise the market and protect consumers.

On procurement concerns, the CS addressed questions surrounding a controversial fuel consignment, explaining that the process had been initiated through technical recommendations but later raised red flags.

“Procurement of the consignment was recommended by a technical committee. The PS approved it in his wisdom. On the 30th of March, it emerged that this consignment came out of G2G, and I moved swiftly and briefed the President. His Excellency advised me to stop the second vessel, which was coming in,” he said.

Wandayi said the importance of proper authorisation in such transactions, noting that deviations from established procedures should trigger higher-level approvals.

“Such a deviation should require a higher approval. The approval of the CS was not sought. If it did, I would have escalated to the President,” he added.