Kenya: Disruption in the Fuel Supply Chain Creates Problems

The problem has been going on between oil importers and the Kenya Pipeline Company, which owns and manages the storage tanks at Kipevu [coast]. It emerged that the shortage was caused by a breakdown of equipment at the Kenya Petroleum Refineries (KPRL) which produces super petrol. A KPRL official told local media that their processing plant had experienced technical problem as a result of power failure.

"Production of petrol will not be done for the next 10 days since towards the end of last year some of our equipment was damaged due to power outages. Our monthly product output can therefore not be met," said Mr Martin Wahome, the corporate affairs officer.

Several importers, who are engaged in a battle with the Kenya Pipeline Company over allocation of storage space at Kipevu, had blamed the shortage on vessel congestion at the port of Mombasa - arising from what they say was poor allocation of storage space.

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