Activists Issue 48-Hour Ultimatum Demanding Suspension of Energy and Trade CSs Over Fuel Importation Saga
Joshua Nyanjam of the Mtetezi movement addresses the press at Milimani law Court in Nairobi, on April 7, 2026.
NAIROBI, April 7, 2026 (KNA) — A high-stakes standoff is brewing between the government and civil society as the grassroots movement Mtetezi issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding the immediate suspension of the Cabinet Secretaries for Energy and Trade.
The group, led by convener Francis Awino, is accusing the State of “selective justice” targeting junior officials while shielding the top leadership allegedly responsible for a multi-billion shilling non-compliant fuel importation saga.
The movement has made it clear that the current trend of protecting high-ranking officials while sacrificing technical staff is an affront to the Kenyan Constitution and the principles of public trust.
Speaking at a heated press briefing at MilimaniLawCourts, Awino called on President William Ruto to intervene personally to restore public confidence.
“This country belongs to all Kenyans. Accountability cannot be a sliding scale where the small fish are fried while the big fish swim free,” Awino stated.
He emphasized that the CSs should resign immediately if they have any respect for the offices they hold, noting that the credibility of the entire administration hangs in the balance.
“We are communicating directly to the President: save the integrity of our institutions. No individual is above the law, and leadership must act in the interest of all citizens to prevent a total collapse of public trust,” he added.
The movement’s Communications Lead, Sifuna Misenya, revealed that Mtetezi is in possession of documents suggesting that the controversial waiver for the substandard fuel shipment was funneled through the highest levels of the Energy and Trade ministries.
Misenya noted that the administrative trail for the fuel waiver request clearly passes through the desks of the Cabinet Secretaries currently under fire, making their continued stay in office a hindrance to a fair probe.
“Available records suggest that ministerial offices were part of communication surrounding the waiver consideration, raising serious questions about accountability at the cabinet level,” Misenya said.
She further argued that having the officials step aside is a standard procedural requirement for any official mentioned in a corruption probe of this magnitude.
“The doctrine of public responsibility requires that officials whose offices are implicated step aside to allow impartial investigations and protect the integrity of the process,” Misenya stated.
She noted that while junior and technical officers had reportedly faced disciplinary action, arrests, or interrogation, the senior officials whose offices appeared in the same administrative chain remained in office, creating a perception of a protected class within the government.
Adding the voice of the youth to the demand, Joshua Nyanjom warned that the economic and physical safety of millions of Kenyans is being gambled with by allowing non-compliant fuel into the market.
He noted that substandard fuel does not just damage vehicle engines; it destabilizes the entire transport and manufacturing sector, leading to increased costs for the common mwananchi.
“As young people, we are asking that when serious allegations arise involving public offices, those concerned step aside to allow independent investigations to proceed without interference,” Nyanjom said.
He also hit out at the alleged intimidation of activists and journalists who have been vocal about the scandal over the past week.
“Fuel quality affects every Kenyan, and decisions made at the policy level must be scrutinized thoroughly because public safety cannot be compromised. Kenya belongs to all of us, and no one should face violence or harassment for demanding accountability from public institutions,” Nyanjom added.
He warned that the youth are particularly invested in this outcome as they will bear the long-term economic consequences of a compromised energy sector.
The 48-hour clock began ticking immediately following the briefing on Tuesday morning. The activists warned that if the President fails to effect the suspension of the Energy and Trade CSs by the expiry of the ultimatum, they will mobilize nationwide peaceful demonstrations and file public interest petitions to force compliance with the law.
