Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has dismissed calls for his resignation over the controversial importation of substandard fuel, maintaining that he was not involved in the approval process.
Appearing before the National Assembly Energy Committee, Wandayi told lawmakers that the decision to import the fuel consignment was initiated by a technical committee within the ministry and later approved by the then Principal Secretary for Petroleum, without his knowledge or involvement.
The CS assured Kenyans that the country has sufficient fuel stocks and there is no cause for alarm, warning oil marketers against hoarding petroleum products to create artificial shortages.
However, Members of Parliament questioned the rationale behind the State Department for Petroleum seeking a waiver from the Kenya Bureau of Standards to allow the importation of fuel that did not meet required specifications, especially when there was reportedly no shortage.
Following the revelations, the ministry directed the importer to withdraw all invoices and remove the substandard consignment from the port. Oil marketing companies were also instructed not to accept or distribute the fuel.