President William Ruto has issued a strong warning to cartels in the country, vowing to stamp out the corruption menace, in the wake of a scandal that has shaken Kenya's energy industry,
Speaking Sunday, April 5, during a church service in Kilgoris, the President warned individuals accused of manipulating Kenya’s fuel supply system, vowing decisive action against what he described as entrenched cartels in the oil sector. Ruto said those behind the irregularities would face the full force of the law.
“Cartels in the oil industry will face the music. They will not get away with it because it cannot happen in our country,” Ruto said.
According to the President, some cartels, profiteers, and extortionists are attempting to take advantage of the conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted the energy supply chain globally, for personal gain at the expense of the public.
“We have a problem in the Middle East, yet they still want to create another problem in the country,” he said.
The President maintained that his administration would not tolerate corruption or economic sabotage, reiterating his hardline stance on accountability.
“We will not negotiate about corruption. We will act decisively to end the menace,” he said.
Pointing to previous interventions in sectors such as fertiliser, sugar and coffee, Ruto said the government had already demonstrated its willingness to dismantle cartels.
“We had cartels… and we dealt with them. Today those sectors are working,” he said.
His remarks come in the wake of a major shake-up in the energy sector, where senior officials stepped down and were arrested following allegations linked to questionable fuel imports and possible manipulation of supply data.
Investigations are focusing on claims that false stock figures may have been used to justify emergency fuel imports outside the official government-to-government framework, raising concerns about transparency in the sector.
Earlier on Thursday, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations arrested energy sector officials over their alleged involvement in the importation of substandard fuel valued at Ksh4 billion.
Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang, Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Deputy Director of Petroleum Joseph Wafula, and the Energy and Petroleum Regulations Authority (EPRA) Director General Daniel Kiptoo.
The four have since resigned from their respective positions pending investigations.
With investigations ongoing, the President signalled that further action could follow, warning that the crackdown would be comprehensive.
“We must have accountability in Kenya,” he added.
