By BOB WASWANI
April 15, 2026| Nairobi — Kenya’s opposition has accused President William Ruto of orchestrating a multi-billion-shilling fuel scheme that will see him personally benefit from recent record-breaking pump price increases, intensifying political tensions over the country’s rising cost of living.
In a strongly worded statement issued on April 15, the United Alternative Government (UAG) claimed that the latest fuel price adjustments—announced on April 14—were part of a calculated plan to profiteer from a crisis in global oil supply.
“Following the price adjustments, Mr William Ruto will earn a profit of Sh5 per litre or Sh2.5 billion from the 500 million litres to be supplied for the region’s consumption,” the opposition said.
The claims come in the wake of a sharp increase in fuel prices, with super petrol rising by Sh28.69 per litre and diesel by Sh40.30—some of the highest increments recorded since independence.
The opposition links the price hikes to what it describes as a “fuel scandal” involving senior government officials and oil marketing companies under the government-to-government (G-to-G) fuel import framework.
At the centre of the allegations is the claim that Gulf Energy—a firm the opposition associates with the President—was irregularly inserted into a fuel supply tender after initially failing to qualify. According to the statement, the company submitted its bid late and outside the stipulated timelines but was still awarded a contract through political influence.
The UAG further alleges that a supply disruption caused by tensions in the Middle East, particularly linked to the Strait of Hormuz, was exploited to justify emergency procurement measures. While government officials have maintained that contingency plans were necessary to avert a fuel shortage during the Easter period, the opposition argues that due process was followed by technocrats who have since been targeted.
Three senior officials—the former Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, former Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director General Daniel Kiptoo, and former Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang—were arrested earlier this month in connection with the saga. However, the opposition insists they are being used as scapegoats.
“To date, the three arrested Kenyans… have had no charges preferred on them. Why? They had no case to answer as they followed and applied the law strictly,” the statement reads.
Instead, the opposition squarely blames President Ruto and senior figures within his administration, including Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and other officials, for what it calls a “criminal enterprise” within the energy sector.
The statement also raises questions about a government delegation dispatched to renegotiate fuel prices with international oil companies, including Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC). The opposition claims the renegotiated prices, which took effect on April 14, were inflated to accommodate profit margins for politically connected entities.
Further comparisons with regional markets have added to the controversy. The opposition notes that fuel prices in Uganda average around Sh175 per litre for petrol and Sh170 for diesel—significantly lower than Kenya’s rates—despite Uganda relying on imports routed through the Port of Mombasa.
The government has previously defended its handling of the fuel supply chain, with President Ruto stating earlier this month that oil cartels had been dismantled and that reforms were underway to stabilize the market. However, the opposition dismisses these claims as “propaganda meant to hoodwink Kenyans.”
The UAG is now demanding urgent interventions, including the suspension of the G-to-G fuel framework, removal of taxes on petroleum products, and the resignation and prosecution of senior officials implicated in the alleged scandal.
They have also called for an emergency sitting of Parliament within seven days to address what they term as a national economic crisis driven by fuel costs.
As the accusations escalate, Kenyans are bracing for the ripple effects of the fuel hikes, which are expected to drive up the cost of transport, food, and basic commodities across the country.
Whether the allegations will trigger formal investigations or political accountability remains to be seen, but the controversy has once again placed the spotlight on Kenya’s opaque fuel pricing mechanisms—and the high stakes involved.