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EPRA flags 20 petrol stations found selling adulterated, substandard fuel

Boda-Boda motorcycle taxis queue for fuel at a gas station in Nairobi (Photo: Simon Maina/ AFP)

By Maureen Kinyanjui | Monday, July 1, 2024

Adulteration is a trick used by unscrupulous fuel dealers to maximise profits.

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has published a list of 20 fuel stations from across the country found selling adulterated motor fuels in the period between April and June 2024.

EPRA made the discovery after conducting tests at 5,936 petroleum sites to determine whether the stations were compliant with its mandate to monitor petroleum products offered in the local market.

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"During the period April–June 2024, 5,936 tests were conducted at 1,311 petroleum sites," said EPRA in a public notice on Monday.

The Authority disclosed that from the tests, 1,291 (98.47 per cent) of sites were found to be compliant.

However, tests from 20 sites (1.53 per cent) turned out to be non-compliant.

The seven stations are Smart Filling Station in Nakuru, Tripple Star (Nakuru), Top Energy Filling Station ( Nairobi), Diesel Drums (Nairobi), Hass Petroleum (Busia), Truck KBA 566P (Busia), Truck UBH 603L ( Busuia), Kahatia Main Filling Station (Murang'a), and Uchumi Energy in Trans Nzoia County.

Others are BQ Filling Station in Mombasa county, Camish Filling Station (Machakos), Diesel stored in drums at Bayete Centre (Uasin Gishu), Lowisa Oil Filling station (Embu), Umoja Mwingi (Kitui), Kagembe Filling Station (Embu), FAAD Service Station (Isiolo) and Mkaleo Lubricants Service station from Taita Taveta County.

Also, Munio Filling Station in Taita Taveta, Safari Kerosene Filling Station (Mombasa), and Mwokyot Gaa Service Station in Bomet were also flagged by EPRA.

A worker fills the tank of a motorcycle at a petrol station in Nairobi (Photo: Simon Maina/ AFP)

Adulteration of fuel involves mixing an original commodity with a foreign substance. For instance, adding kerosene to diesel or adding solvents to petrol.

Adulteration is a trick used by unscrupulous fuel dealers to maximise profits.

It can cause irreparable damage to engines, such as sudden failure, difficulty in starting, increased fuel consumption, low fuel spraying rate in the combustion chamber and increased emissions of particulate matter.

In addition, the regulator urged Kenyans to report any suspected case of non-compliance to 0709 336 000 or dial the USSD code *363# and follow the prompts.

EPRA is mandated under Section 92 of the Petroleum Act 2019 to monitor petroleum products ordered for sale in the local market with the aim of preventing motor fuel adulteration or dumping of export-bound fuels.

In this regard, the Authority undertakes a programme of continuous monitoring of the quality of petroleum motor fuels on sale, transport, and storage throughout the country.