Wandayi Dismisses Gachagua’s Claims of Looming Fuel Price Rise

Kenya, 14 October 2026 - Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Opiyo Wandayi on Wednesday responded to claims by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who alleged that fuel prices would rise in the expected fuel review.

In a statement shared publicly, Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), alleged that President William Ruto had directed an increase of KSh 9 per litre on diesel and KSh 12 per litre on petrol. He further alleged that the transaction was routed through Gulf Energy for political purposes.

Wandayi said it is not President Ruto who sets fuel prices. Instead, he said, the mandate lies with the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), which is constitutionally allowed to set fuel prices in Kenya.

“The guy is in hiding in the U.S. He is a one-term MP and there is nothing relevant that he understands,” Wandayi claimed.

He said Gachagua was only interested in ‘shares’ while serving as Deputy President, before his impeachment.

“Our country is moving forward. If he (Gachagua) has any issue regarding fuel prices, let him face me,” he said.

Wandayi thanked President Ruto for his interventions when there were fuel supply shocks following the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran, which eventually led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

“The lowering of fuel VAT from 16% to 8% made fuel prices stable and affordable for Kenyans. As we speak, Parliament is debating the Amendment Bill to extend the 8% VAT timeframe by a further 90 days,” Wandayi said.

He also affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that Kenyans get reliable energy sources.

President Ruto told residents that West Pokot has lagged behind for many years, with many parts still lacking electricity. He said his administration had set aside KSh 2.3 billion to connect many homes in West Pokot to electricity. He stated that by May 2027, residents of West Pokot will be glad to light their homes with electricity.