The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Energy has called for tighter controls on petroleum products, improved public communication on fuel prices and faster implementation of key energy projects amid concerns over regulatory enforcement and delays in planned programmes.
The Committee, chaired by David Gikaria, raised the concerns during a meeting on Wednesday to review the State Department for Petroleum’s budget implementation for the 2025/2026 financial year.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary for Petroleum Kello Harsama, KenGen CEO-designate Eng. Ronoh Kibet, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director-General Edward Kinyua and officials from the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA).
Gikaria urged the State Department and the energy regulator to strengthen enforcement against fuel adulteration, warning that the practice compromises the quality of petroleum products and exposes consumers to potential risks.
“You need control over this business of petroleum adulteration,” he told the officials.
The State Department attributed variations in budget absorption to procurement delays and the slow implementation of planned projects, particularly the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) reticulation programme.
It reported an 86 per cent absorption rate for subsidy funds, citing delays in submitting oil marketers’ claims to EPRA for the June 15 to July 14, 2026, pricing cycle.
The cycle recorded stabilisation costs of Sh10.3 billion, which were received in July 2026.
The Principal Secretary also explained that the Government had opted to engage a private developer for the proposed oil refinery because the investment required was too expensive for the country to undertake independently.
During the meeting, Committee member Mandazi sought clarification on the transportation of petroleum products, questioning whether road tankers remained the primary mode of transportation or whether pipeline infrastructure was being utilised.
EPRA, meanwhile, reported progress in regulating Kenya’s upstream petroleum and coal sectors, including advancing major projects, reviewing technical submissions and strengthening environmental monitoring and compliance.
Gikaria called on the regulator to intensify public education on fuel prices and shortages, urging it to use vernacular radio stations to reach wider audiences and explain how global developments influence domestic petroleum prices.
Committee member Kingara also questioned whether EPRA routinely conducted civic education to help the public understand changes in fuel prices.
In response, Kinyua maintained that the Authority operates independently and is not influenced by external interests.
He said EPRA had begun engaging television stations and vernacular media to explain developments in the petroleum sector, adding that public participation would be undertaken whenever necessary.
The Committee also reviewed the budget of the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency, which increased from Sh743.8 million to Sh866.2 million following supplementary allocations.
The review forms part of Parliament’s oversight of public expenditure and the implementation of energy-sector programmes, with members pressing State agencies to strengthen accountability, improve service delivery and ensure that allocated resources translate into tangible results.