Trade CS Kinyanjui defends fuel standard rollback, cites global supply crisis

Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui has defended the government’s decision to reintroduce higher-sulphur fuel into the Kenyan market.

Kinyanjui said the move is driven by global supply disruptions rather than a reversal of environmental policy.

Appearing before the Senate plenary on Wednesday, he said Kenya had only recently transitioned from 50 parts per million (ppm) sulphur fuel to the cleaner 10ppm standard in August last year.

Therefore, he argued, motorists were not being exposed to a completely new product.

“The fuel that you are talking about—the standards—is the same fuel that the country has been consuming for the last 10 years until August last year,” he told senators.

His remarks came as lawmakers questioned the government’s decision to revert to a higher-sulphur fuel standard despite Kenya’s recent push towards cleaner energy and improved air quality.

Migori Senator Eddy Oketch led the concerns, challenging the rationale behind lowering fuel quality standards just months after the country had adopted stricter environmental regulations aimed at reducing emissions and associated health risks.

The decision has also sparked criticism from environmental advocates and sections of consumers, who argue that the rollback could undermine progress made in improving air quality and reducing harmful emissions linked to respiratory illnesses.

However, Kinyanjui said the government’s decision was shaped by external pressures, particularly disruptions in global fuel supply chains that have affected Kenya’s access to cleaner fuel products.

He told the Senate that refinery damage and operational challenges in the Middle East had significantly constrained the availability of 10ppm fuel, forcing Kenya to adjust its import standards temporarily.

“Refineries across the Middle East have been thoroughly damaged, so this is a situation that will be foreseeable not only now but in the next one or two years,” he said.

He suggested that the supply constraints may persist longer than initially anticipated.

The Trade CS’s comments appeared to extend the expected timeline for the policy adjustment.

The Energy ministry had earlier indicated that the shift back to 50ppm fuel would be temporary and likely last around six months while supply conditions stabilise.

Kinyanjui, however, said the situation in the global oil market had forced the government to rethink its projections, warning that Kenya’s fuel import options had been significantly constrained.

“Our fuel import options have been thoroughly compromised,” he said. “Between having perfect quality and availability, we chose availability.”

His statement underscored what the government describes as a difficult balancing act between maintaining environmental standards and ensuring uninterrupted fuel supply for consumers and the economy.

Kenya introduced the 10ppm sulphur fuel standard in August 2025 as part of broader efforts to align with international clean energy benchmarks and reduce vehicular emissions.

The policy shift was widely welcomed at the time as a step towards improving public health outcomes, particularly in urban areas where air pollution levels have been rising.

The cleaner fuel standard was also seen as part of Kenya’s long-term commitment to environmental sustainability, with expectations that it would reduce pollutants contributing to asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions.

Despite these gains, Kinyanjui argued that Kenya’s regional context and supply realities must be considered.

He noted that many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to use 50ppm fuel without experiencing major disruptions in their transport or energy systems.

“We just wanted to go ahead of our peers in the area of environmental protection,” he said.

He added that Kenya’s earlier adoption of cleaner fuel standards was an ambitious policy move that now faces practical limitations due to global market instability.

The Senate session highlighted growing tension between environmental policy ambitions and economic or logistical realities, with lawmakers pressing the executive to clarify how long the rollback will remain in effect and what measures are being taken to secure cleaner fuel supplies in the future.

Environmental groups have warned that prolonged reliance on higher-sulphur fuel could erode air quality gains made in recent years, particularly in major cities where vehicle emissions remain a leading source of pollution.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

Trade CS Lee Kinyanjui defended Kenya’s decision to reintroduce higher-sulphur 50ppm fuel, citing global supply disruptions and refinery damage in the Middle East. Appearing before the Senate, he said Kenya recently shifted from 50ppm to cleaner 10ppm fuel but must now prioritise availability over environmental standards. The rollback has sparked criticism from environmentalists concerned about air quality, though the government insists the change is temporary amid constrained fuel import options and uncertain supply timelines.