People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has called for the immediate resignation of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, accusing him of failing to account for the ongoing fuel crisis.

According to a press statement on her X account on Thursday, April 9, 2026, Karua demanded an independent probe into the scandal, arguing that while global supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz may have played a role, the severity of the crisis in Kenya points to deeper issues of local mismanagement and corruption.

“What we are witnessing is chaos. Despite empty government assurances, fuel shortages and long lines are surfacing from Nyeri and Eldoret to Nyamira and Kericho. Transporters have already warned of imminent price hikes, a burden that will inevitably trickle down to the already overtaxed Mwananchi,” Karua stated.

Accountability

Addressing the CS after he failed to appear before the House probe, Martha Karua drew on her experience as former Justice Minister under the Mwai Kibaki administration to stress that a Cabinet Secretary remains fully accountable for the affairs of their docket, regardless of circumstances.

“Overall, in the country, the buck stops with President William Ruto. In the energy sector, there is a minister, and that is Opiyo Wandayi. There is no way something of this magnitude, the disappearance of reserves and the recovery of suitcases of cash, happens under his watch without his knowledge. And if he truly doesn’t know, then he has no business in that office,” Karua stated.

“Come on, take political responsibility, CS Wandayi! As your juniors get arrested, throw in the towel and go home because you have failed. That is what taking responsibility looks like. You don’t just say, ‘I didn’t know.’ That alone spells failure. You have failed to take charge of the docket you were given.”

Opiyo Wandanyi’s failure to attend

The CS and other key stakeholders failed to show up for a scheduled session with the Energy Committee. The committee, chaired by Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria, expressed frustration over what it termed as disregard for parliamentary oversight, but defended the CS’s record of compliance.

“He has never failed to appear. This is not the first time we have invited him, and he has always appeared. We will give him the benefit of the doubt,” Gikaria said.

Karua’s remarks follow the key energy-sector leaders who have resigned following arrests and investigations into claims of manipulation of fuel stock data and irregular procurement in Kenya’s petroleum supply chain.

Fuel scandal

Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang, who was replaced on Friday, April 3, 2026, and Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority Director General Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria submitted their resignations after being named in the scandal.

The resignations come as the government escalates a full inquiry into serious breaches, including the procurement of substandard emergency fuel at inflated prices in violation of the G2G framework. Officials also started disciplinary action against two more managers.

The government signed a government-to-government fuel supply agreement in 2023 with Aramco Trading Fujairah, ADNOC Global Trading Ltd, and Emirates National Oil Company Singapore Pte Limited. It introduced the deal after severe shortages in 2022 that caused long queues at filling stations and unsafe practices.