The government has reassured the public regarding concerns about a jet fuel shortage after flight delays occurred at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday morning.
Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi confirmed that there was indeed a problem affecting several airlines, but it was promptly resolved. He explained that the issue stemmed from a malfunction in the jet fuel pumping system.
“There was a minor incident, but it was fixed in under an hour and a half, allowing flights to resume,” he stated.
During a visit to the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL) in Mombasa, Wandayi emphasized that the country has sufficient fuel supply and does not anticipate any shortages in the future. He assured that under the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) arrangement, fuel shortages are not expected.
“We do not foresee any jet fuel or fuel shortages in the foreseeable future due to our G-to-G agreement,” he added.
Wandayi also mentioned that the government has implemented comprehensive measures to ensure a stable fuel supply for domestic use and for the region. Currently, Kenya provides fuel to Uganda, with plans to include the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Rwanda soon.
He announced plans to merge KPRL with the Kenya Pipeline Corporation (KPC), which will take over the refinery to enhance efficiency.
Wandayi was joined by Joe Sang, managing director of KPC, and William Ruto, managing director of Kenya Ports Authority.
Among the airlines affected by the fuel supply issue at JKIA were Jambojet and Kenya Airways (KQ). Jambojet apologized for any inconvenience and pledged to minimize disruptions. KQ cited maintenance work on the fuel hydrants at JKIA, which took longer than expected, as the cause of the delays.
