Ruto Vows Crackdown on Oil Cartels After Senior Officials Step Aside

President William Ruto has pledged to dismantle alleged cartels in Kenya’s petroleum sector following the resignation of three senior officials linked to claims of irregular practices.

The remarks were made during a church service in Kilgoris, shortly after preliminary investigations indicated that fuel stock data may have been deliberately altered. Officials believe the discrepancies were used to justify costly emergency fuel imports outside the government-to-government framework, potentially enabling inflated procurement deals and weakening transparency in the sector. 

The President also suggested that some actors were exploiting global instability, including tensions in the Middle East, to create artificial supply concerns. The developments have led to the exit of key figures in the energy sector. Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Joe Sang of the Kenya Pipeline Company, and Daniel Kiptoo, Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), stepped aside over the weekend. 

Their departures represent a significant shift in the sector’s leadership and reflect the scale of the ongoing investigations. In response, EPRA’s board appointed Joseph Oketch as acting Director General. 

Oketch has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry and currently leads the Authority’s Electricity and Renewable Energy Directorate. He holds academic qualifications from the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University and has previously worked in senior positions at Kenya Power and the Rural Electrification Authority. 

The board stated that his experience would support continuity during the transition. The President’s position aligns with a broader policy focus on tackling corruption and economic misconduct. He referred to earlier reforms in sectors such as fertiliser distribution, sugar, and coffee as examples of similar interventions. He said that those involved in malpractice within the oil industry would face legal consequences.