Karua demands Opiyo Wandayi’s resignation over fuel scandal
By Mustafa Juma, April 8, 2026People’s Liberation Party (PLP) Party Leader Martha Karua has demanded the resignation of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi over the recent fuel scandal.
Speaking on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, during an interview with K24 TV, Karua said that Wandayi should have resigned as early as yesterday.
She argued that Wandayi, as the energy sector boss, should have known about the fuel scandal and that if he truly doesn’t know, he should then step down.
“In the energy sector, there is a minister, and that is Opiyo Wandayi. There is no way something of that magnitude happens under his watch, and he doesn’t know. And if he truly doesn’t know, he has no business in that office,” Karua said.
“You are paid to know what is happening, and if he didn’t know and it is a thing of this magnitude, come on, take political responsibility as your guys get arrested, throw in the towel, and go home because you have failed.”
Withdrawal of controversial fuel
Karua’s remarks come a day after Wandayi denied knowledge of the shipment and ordered the withdrawal of the 60,000-metric-tonne consignment of Super Petrol and the cancellation of all invoices issued to oil marketing companies.
CS Wandayi said the shipment had been imported “in contravention of the procedures set out under the G-to-G contractual framework with international suppliers,” warning that it posed risks to the stability of Kenya’s fuel supply system.
At the heart of the controversy is a significant pricing discrepancy. According to Wandayi, the consignment was invoiced at approximately Ksh 198,000 per metric tonne, compared to Ksh 140,000 per metric tonne under Kenya’s Government-to-Government (G-to-G) fuel import arrangement.
“This consignment is priced at Ksh 198,000 per metric tonne… an increase of Ksh 58,000 per metric tonne, which would result in an approximate rise of Ksh 14 per litre in pump prices on this consignment alone,” Wandayi stated.
Officials warned that allowing such fuel into the market could have triggered higher pump prices and disrupted the pricing stability achieved under the G-to-G framework.
The shipment arrived at the Port of Mombasa between March 27 and 29 following an emergency request by the government to address a looming fuel shortage.
The crisis was reportedly triggered after a separate consignment of 114.7 million litres of petrol sourced from Emirates National Oil Company failed to leave Dubai due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting planned supply chains.
Khalwale’s demands
Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale had also demanded that Wandayi either resign or be arrested over the ongoing fuel scandal.
In a post on X on Saturday, April 4, 2026, Khalwale said CS Wandayi, who leads the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and reports directly to the president, had a duty to prevent the fuel scandal.
“CS Opiyo Wandayi’s core responsibility is to develop, implement, review and enforce policies in the Ministry of Energy & Petroleum. He is the leader, reporting directly to the president. He knew or ought to have known the diversion of condemned fuel worth Ksh4 billion, by those three thieves, into the Kenyan market,” Khalwale said.
He added that if Wandayi was aware of the saga, he must be arrested immediately for criminal culpability.
“If he knew, he must be arrested immediately for criminal culpability. If he didn’t know, he must immediately take political responsibility and resign or be sacked for cross incompetence,” Khalwale said.