Ekuru Aukot raises concerns over vague fuel crisis explanations
By Aloys Michael, April 7, 2026Thirdway Alliance Party leader Ekuru Aukot has scoffed at the government over what he terms as vague explanations on the country’s fuel situation, linking the opacity to the unresolved Ksh500 million cash saga and warning of deeper accountability failures.
Speaking in an interview on a local Radio station on Monday, April 6, 2026, he jolted 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 do not actually explain. It is not the first time that we are hearing in this country that we are blaming other external factors,” he said.
The former Presidential Candidate cited past instances in which 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.
What DCI said
The Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) said it had arrested four senior energy sector officials in connection with the fuel procurement scandal in which more than Ksh500 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. The trio have since resigned.
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 Ksh100 million, later on we were told Ksh500 million, the truth of the matter is we do not 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 Ksh500 million recovered during raids on suspects’ homes later went missing from police custody, deepening public concern.
“He had not cleared his name over the Ksh2 billion, then now we are talking about Ksh8 billion,” Aukot questioned.
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 remarked, 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.