2027 presidential aspirant Martha Karua issued a stern call for Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi to resign on Thursday, April 9, after he failed to appear before Members of Parliament to address the fuel crisis.
CS Wandayi was scheduled to appear before MPs but did not show up under unclear circumstances. Speaking after this development, Karua demanded that CS Wandayi step down immediately.
The People’s Liberation Party (PLP) Leader also called for independent investigations into the fuel scandal that has resulted in five senior energy officials being arrested with prosecution proceedings initiated.
While acknowledging that global energy supply has been affected by the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, Karua emphasized that Kenyans’ suffering has been unnecessarily intensified by local corruption.
“What we are witnessing is chaos. Despite empty government assurances, fuel shortages and long lines are appearing from Nyeri and Eldoret to Nyamira and Kericho. Transporters have already warned of imminent price hikes, a burden that will eventually be passed to the already overtaxed citizen,” Karua stated.
Addressing leadership failure following the CS’s snub of the House probe, Karua, drawing on her experience as former Justice Minister under the Kibaki administration, reminded current leadership that the Cabinet Secretary remains the ultimate custodian of his docket.
“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, occurs under his watch without his knowledge. And if he truly doesn’t know, then he has no business in that office.
“Come on, take political responsibility, CS Wandayi! As your juniors get arrested, step down 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,” Karua added.
Condemning the government’s failure to secure the nation’s strategic reserves, Karua questioned how President William Ruto’s administration allegedly traded away fuel buffers during an expected global crisis, compromising the country’s energy security.
“Reports indicate our national oil reserves were allegedly traded at a high markup of approximately USD 4 per liter. It is inconceivable that our strategic reserves could be sold to a foreign entity without the knowledge and clearance of the highest office in the land. Kenyans are feeling the impact, and they deserve answers.”
The PLP leader and key voice in the United Alternative Government opposition outfit expressed concern that in some towns, fuel prices have already exceeded the KSh200 per liter mark.
“When fuel prices rise, the ordinary Kenyan is affected in multiple ways. From public transport fares to food and electricity costs, citizens are being squeezed dry. We are seeing the consequences in real-time; Kenyans are already struggling while allegations of millions being misappropriated in this crisis continue to surface. Where is the reported KSh500 million that was found? Where is the evidence?”
Karua called for true accountability, asserting that empty promises of investigations are no longer sufficient. She noted that the “weak link” in the nation’s fight against corruption remains a total lack of political will at the highest level.
“If you look at the William Ruto administration, despite scandals dominating the news daily, not a single senior government official has been sanctioned or properly held accountable. When there are no consequences for those at the top, corruption becomes the official policy of the state. You cannot eliminate graft where there is no rule of law.”
Drawing parallels to other recent failures, Karua cited the scandalous issuance of a Kenyan passport to a sanctioned RSF warlord as proof of a government that only offers the “performance” of accountability, where “small people” are made to account for crises clearly linked to top officials.
“In the passport scandal, PS Belio Kipsang issued a weak denial, yet the government failed to investigate how the citizenship justifying that passport was obtained. Where was the response from CS Kipchumba Murkomen? This is the Kenya Kwanza approach: hide behind technicalities, offer empty denials, protect the powerful, and sacrifice the juniors. We demand real accountability, starting with the Cabinet Secretary, not low-level officers following orders from above.”
Karua, who has declared her intention to challenge the current administration in the upcoming elections, urged Kenyans to exercise their sovereign power by rejecting leaders who prioritize personal enrichment over public service, noting that the ultimate cost of this greed is borne by citizens.