Fuel shortage continued to bite on Monday with counties reporting long queues at few available filling stations.
The government on Saturday directed all oil marketers to immediately release petroleum supplies, to ward off the ongoing fuel crisis or face sanctions.
“OMCs, depot, and retail station operators are hereby cautioned that in accordance with Section 99(1)(k) and 99(1)(n) of the Petroleum Act 2019, it is an offense punishable by law to hoard petroleum or to sell above the published price,” EPRA said in a statement.
The escalating fuel shortage in the country forced the government to summon oil marketers for a weekend-long meeting in a bid to resolve the stalemate.
Oil marketers have presented several demands to the government, including the immediate release of the Sh13 billion oil subsidy fund owed to them since January.
A top official of an international oil marketing firm who attended the meetings held on Saturday and Sunday told the Star in confidence that they are also not happy with the government’s threats to sanction them for hoarding.
A spot check by the Nai Haps noticed long queues at almost all petrol stations along Thika Road, Limuru Road, Mombasa Road and Waiyaki Way in Nairobi.
