NAIROBI, KENYA — G-to-G Fuel Deal; a major political storm is brewing over the country’s energy sector as the ‘United Alternative Government’ opposition coalition intensifies pressure on President William Ruto to immediately dismantle the controversial Government-to-Government (G-to-G) fuel importation framework.
The alliance—spearheaded by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua—has issued a definitive seven-day ultimatum demanding structural overhauls to reverse skyrocketing pump prices, warning that failure to act will trigger nationwide mass demonstrations.
The escalation comes amid sharp public outcries after pump prices shot up drastically—with petrol climbing by Sh28.69 per litre and diesel spiking by a massive Sh40.30 per litre following supply adjustments.
“A Criminal Enterprise”: Opposition Details Opaque Procurement
Addressing a high-stakes media briefing in Nairobi, the opposition leadership unleashed a scathing indictment on the Kenya Kwanza administration, alleging that the state-brokered fuel deal with Middle Eastern oil giants has degenerated into a highly protected syndicate. Gachagua claimed that the G-to-G arrangement, which includes international corporations like Saudi Aramco, has systematically weakened competitive procurement and locked out transparent oversight.
The opposition went further to allege deep-seated executive complicity, asserting that politically connected intermediaries and private nominees are being used to siphon billions from struggling motorists.
“The government-to-government arrangement has become a channel for opaque deals that ordinary Kenyans cannot scrutinize, and it must be dismantled immediately,” Gachagua declared, demanding a swift return to a fully open, competitive tender system. newsportal.co.ke
Demands for Resignations and Quality Waivers Exposed
The opposition layout a rigid checklist of demands, chief among them being the immediate resignation and prosecution of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and Trade CS Lee Kinyanjui for failing to protect the public interest.
The coalition also blew the whistle on a highly controversial emergency procurement window. According to documents cited by the opposition, a special ministerial waiver was secretly issued to relax strict national fuel quality standards—allowing petrol with altered parameters of sulfur, benzene, and manganese into the local market under the guise of stabilizing contingency stocks.
The state’s top fiscal policymakers have also faced heat from within. Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro broke ranks to criticize the murky composition of the energy sector’s pricing structure, calling for urgent fuel subsidies, VAT adjustments, and levy reductions to cushion local supply chains from grinding to a halt. Former Chief Justice David Maraga similarly blasted the state, lambasting top officials for prioritizing non-essential expenditures over cushioning citizens from an aggressive cost-of-living crisis.
A Regional Twist: Rwanda Moves to Capitalize
As domestic pressure mounts, the G-to-G framework is taking on a complex regional angle. Kenya recently inked a historic tripartite agreement allowing Rwanda to import bulk refined petroleum products through the Northern Corridor under the same G-to-G infrastructure. The deal relies on Kenya Pipeline Company’s (KPC) massive storage networks and the Kisumu Oil Jetty.
While the government views the Rwanda deal as a major economic victory that reclaims regional market dominance, local critics argue it does nothing to fix the systemic pricing flaws torturing domestic consumers.
With the opposition’s seven-day countdown ticking away concurrently alongside widespread Saba Saba unrest, the state finds itself in a tight corner to offer immediate energy sector relief or brace for a highly volatile political showdown.
