Rubis Energie Kenya Managing Director Jean-Christian Bergeron is set to be deported, following what the government has termed as economic sabotage by hoarding fuel.
In Kenya, economic sabotage could lead to a jail term of up to 10 years or a fine of Ksh1 million, if found guilty.
The MD has also been accused of over-exporting fuel to neighbouring countries despite an “artificial” fuel shortage in the local market.
According to media reports, Rubis, which is the third-largest oil marketer in Kenya has been demanding higher compensation from the fuel subsidy programme, yet most of its fuel was imported before global prices went up.
The government has already allowed the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) to punish rogue oil marketers who have created an artificial fuel shortage in Kenya. The regulator is set to reduce the import quota allocations of select oil firms that have been involved in the vice.
“We have reviewed your recommendations and wish to inform you that this ministry has no objection to the proposed measures. Please, expedite,” the Petroleum ministry told Epra in an approval letter on Tuesday.
According to Epra Director-General Daniel Kiptoo, the earmarked oil marketers were exporting more fuel to neighbouring countries while creating an acute shortage in the domestic market.
“Epra has analysed the daily petroleum loadings over the past four weeks and noted that a number of oil marketing companies have in the period under review given priority to export loadings, while the local market was left to suffer intermittent supply,” Mr Kiptoo said in the letter dated April 12.
“Epra hereby recommends that in the allocation of capacity for the next three import cycles, key consideration should be given to reduction of capacity share for all OMCs who increased their transit volumes over and above their normal quota during the supply crisis period.”
Epra last month increased the price of petrol and diesel by Ksh5 which saw their costs jump to a historic Ksh134.72 and Ksh115.6 per litre.
The regulator is set to issue new prices today.
Read: Why EPRA Kept Fuel Prices Unchanged
>>> Fuel Shortage: Govt Reveals Supply Details As Panic Spreads
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