Thirdway Alliance Party leader Ekuru Aukot has slammed the Kenya Kwanza government over what he terms as “vague” explanations on the country’s fuel situation, linking the opacity to the unresolved Sh500 million cash saga and warning of deeper accountability failures.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Monday, he faulted the government for failing to provide clear and evidence-based explanations for the reported fuel shortages, instead shifting blame to external global events.
“You say that we were expecting… but you don’t actually explain… it isn’t the first time that we are hearing in this country that we are blaming other external factors,” he said.
He referenced past instances where global crises such as the Russia-Ukraine war were cited for local shortages, arguing that similar narratives are now being repeated without sufficient justification.
His remarks come against the backdrop of a widening scandal in the energy sector, where senior officials have been accused of manipulating fuel stock data to create an artificial shortage and justify emergency procurement.
Aukot argued that the lack of transparency in explaining the fuel situation mirrors the confusion surrounding the reported recovery of large sums of cash linked to the same saga.
The DCI said it had arrested four senior energy sector officials in connection with the fuel procurement scandal in which more than Sh500 million in cash was recovered during raids.
Those arrested were Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority Director General Daniel Kiptoo, and Petroleum Deputy Director Joseph Wafula.
According to investigators, the officials are accused of manipulating data on national fuel reserves to create a false shortage, which justified emergency fuel procurement at inflated prices.
Turning to the controversy involving the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), Aukot questioned inconsistencies in the reported amounts of money recovered.
“The first time this information came… we were told Sh100 million… later on we are told Sh500 million… the truth of the matter is we don’t even know how much money we are talking about,” he said.
He described the unfolding developments as a “shenanigan,” citing conflicting accounts and claims involving investigators and senior officials.
Reports indicate that more than Sh500 million recovered during raids on suspects’ homes later went missing from police custody, deepening public concern.
Aukot also raised governance concerns at KPC, pointing to the reappointment of a senior official previously linked to a Sh2 billion scandal.
“He hadn’t cleared his name over the Sh2 billion … then now we’re talking about Sh8 billion,” he said, questioning the integrity of leadership within the sector.
He warned that secrecy and reliance on undisclosed intelligence in public decision-making undermine accountability.
“Secrecy was never invented in this world… certainly not in Kenya,” Aukot stated, adding that the lack of openness in both the fuel shortage narrative and the missing cash saga signals deeper systemic failures in governance and public administration.
