NAIROBI, Kenya- President William Ruto’s economic advisor, David Ndii, has sought to clarify the government’s position amid a sweeping substandard fuel scandal that has ensnared senior energy sector officials.
In a tweet, the outspoken advisor of President Ruto said the controversial petroleum cargo at the centre of the probe was a private import, not part of the Government‑to‑Government (G‑to‑G) fuel procurement arrangement.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested several top officials, including Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Daniel Kiptoo, and Kenya Pipeline Company Managing DirectorJoe Sang, as part of an ongoing inquiry into the alleged importation of substandard fuel that failed to meet established quality thresholds.
Ndii emphasised that the troubled shipment, flagged for quality concerns, was a private cargo sourced on the high seas and should not be conflated with the G‑to‑G deal the government has used to stabilise the country’s fuel supply and cushion Kenyans from global shocks linked to tensions in the Middle East and volatility in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Government‑to‑Government (G‑to‑G) import framework, initiated to allow Kenya to secure petroleum supplies on a credit basis with Gulf suppliers, has been central to official strategy for ensuring continuity of fuel stocks, which the government says provides cover of several weeks despite rising international oil prices.
However, the latest scandal has raised fresh questions about transparency and oversight in the fuel supply chain, especially after motorists and industry watchers reported fuel quality issues earlier this year.
Detectives are also pursuing additional suspects and gathering evidence, including documents and financial records recovered during the pre‑dawn raids on officials’ homes.
