President William Ruto has announced a crackdown on cartels in the oil sector, declaring that his administration will move decisively to dismantle networks accused of manipulating the country’s fuel supply system for personal gain.

Speaking during a church service in Kilgoris on Sunday, the President said individuals linked to alleged irregularities in the petroleum industry would face the full force of the law, warning that Kenya would not tolerate economic sabotage.

“Cartels in the oil industry will face the music. They will not get away with it because it cannot happen in our country,” Ruto said.

The President’s remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of the energy sector following the resignation of several senior officials over allegations of manipulating fuel stock data and facilitating the procurement of emergency fuel cargo at inflated prices.

Those who stepped aside include Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Joe Sang of the Kenya Pipeline Company, and Daniel Kiptoo of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).

According to preliminary findings, investigators are examining claims that fuel stock data may have been manipulated to create the impression of an impending shortage, which was then used to justify emergency imports outside the government’s Government-to-Government (G-to-G) fuel procurement framework.

The G-to-G arrangement was introduced to stabilize the fuel market and shield the country from volatile global oil prices by allowing Kenya to procure petroleum products directly from international suppliers through government agreements.

However, the alleged manipulation of supply data has raised concerns about transparency and accountability within the sector, with authorities now probing whether the system was deliberately bypassed to benefit private interests.

President Ruto linked the alleged scheme to attempts by cartels to exploit global uncertainties, including tensions in the Middle East, to create artificial crises in the domestic fuel market.

“We have a problem in the Middle East, yet they still want to create another problem in the country. I must say for the record, this is the administration that is going to deal firmly, decisively, and conclusively with all cartels,” he said.

Reaffirming his administration’s anti-corruption stance, Ruto said the government would not negotiate with individuals involved in corrupt practices but would instead take firm action to eliminate the vice.

“I said it from the beginning: in this country, we will not negotiate about corruption. We will act decisively to end the menace. People thought I was joking; others saw it as just a game,” the President added.

Ruto also pointed to previous interventions in key agricultural sectors as evidence of his government’s determination to dismantle cartels and restore order in critical industries.

“In the past, we had cartels and brokers who gave us sleepless nights because of fertiliser. All of them we dealt with properly,” he said.

“We also had cartels in the sugar sector, and we dealt with them. Today the sugar sector is fine. We also had problems in the coffee sub-sector. Today, coffee farmers are paid well.”

The President emphasized that restoring accountability across key sectors of the economy remains a central priority for his administration, warning that no individual or network would be spared in the ongoing crackdown.

“We must have accountability in Kenya,” Ruto said.