Speaking during an interview on a local radio station on Monday, April 6, 2026, Aukot questioned the government’s handling of the matter, accusing authorities of failing to provide concrete and evidence-based explanations for the reported fuel shortages across the country.
According to Aukot, the government has instead shifted blame to global events without clearly demonstrating how those factors directly caused the shortages being experienced locally.
“You say that we were expecting shortages, but you do not actually explain what happened. It is not the first time in this country that we are hearing leaders blame external factors,” Aukot said.
The former presidential candidate pointed to previous situations where global crises were used to explain local economic challenges, including disruptions linked to the Russia–Ukraine War. He argued that similar narratives are now being repeated without sufficient justification or supporting data.
His remarks come amid a widening scandal in Kenya’s energy sector that has triggered investigations into alleged manipulation of national fuel reserves.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), four senior energy sector officials were arrested in connection with the scandal after more than KSh500 million in cash was reportedly recovered during raids.
Those arrested include Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority Director General Daniel Kiptoo, and Petroleum Deputy Director Joseph Wafula. Reports indicate the officials have since resigned following the arrests.
Investigators believe the suspects manipulated data on national fuel reserves in order to create the appearance of a shortage. The alleged scheme was reportedly used to justify emergency fuel procurement deals at inflated prices.
Aukot also raised questions regarding inconsistencies in the amount of money recovered during the raids. According to him, initial reports indicated that investigators had recovered about KSh100 million before later figures suggested the amount exceeded KSh500 million.
“The first time this information came out, we were told about KSh100 million. Later we were told about KSh500 million. The truth is that we do not even know the exact amount we are talking about,” he said.
Reports have also indicated that some of the money recovered during the raids later went missing from police custody, further fueling public concern over transparency and accountability in the investigation.
Aukot also criticized governance at the Kenya Pipeline Company, questioning the reappointment of a senior official previously linked to a KSh2 billion scandal.
He warned that secrecy and reliance on undisclosed intelligence in public decision-making undermines accountability and weakens public trust in government institutions.
“Secrecy was never invented in this world, and certainly not in Kenya,” Aukot remarked, adding that the confusion surrounding both the fuel shortage and the missing cash saga signals deeper governance failures that must be addressed urgently.
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