Leaked Letters Link CS Wandayi, Kinyanjui to KSh 4.8 Fuel Scandal

Collage of Energy and Petroleum CS Opiyo wandayi and Trade and Invetment CS Lee Kinyanjui

Leaked letters have placed Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui at the centre of investigations into the KSh4.8 billion fuel scandal, which has already triggered arrests and resignations of top energy officials.

The documents Observed by Daily Nation, now in the hands of investigators, are said to detail how approvals for the controversial fuel imports were granted, raising fresh concerns over possible high-level involvement in the deal.

According to a senior officer at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the probe has now shifted focus from junior officers to top decision-makers in government.

The officer noted that the Cabinet Secretaries will be required to explain their roles and what they knew about the transaction.

“The Cabinet Secretaries will be required to shed light on what they know about the issue. It is no longer about junior officials. The focus must move to decisions made at the highest policy levels, and the documents will be critical,” the officer said.

Investigators are also examining whether the fuel import deal exploited the Middle East crisis to allow the entry of substandard petroleum products into the Kenyan market.

The controversy deepened after analysts confirmed the authenticity of the leaked letters, indicating they could significantly alter the direction of the investigations. An energy sector expert noted that the documents point to possible coordination between the Trade and Energy ministries in facilitating the deal.

“Now that the documents have been established to be genuine, they will change the course of the probe. The CSs will have to explain what they know about the deal gone bad,” the analyst said.

One of the key documents under scrutiny is a March 28 waiver letter from the Trade Ministry, which shows that Opiyo Wandayi’s office was the main addressee. The letter, signed by Principal Secretary Mohammed Liban, requested the Kenya Bureau of Standards to grant waivers on critical fuel quality parameters, including benzene, manganese and sulphur.

Details contained in the correspondence indicate that the cargo aboard MT Paloma had already been flagged as non-compliant, suggesting that the Energy Ministry may have been aware of the substandard nature of the shipment.

However, Lee Kinyanjui has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that his role was limited to issuing conditional approvals in line with the law.

“I am not aware of any other happenings beyond the approvals for a waiver. My letter also gave conditions on what the Ministry of Energy, State Department for Petroleum should do before the importation is effected,” Kinyanjui said.

He added that the request for the waiver originated from Principal Secretary Mohammed Liban and Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang, and that he acted within the legal framework in granting the approval.

The unfolding probe is expected to intensify in the coming days, with investigators now relying heavily on documentary evidence to establish accountability at the highest levels of government.