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| Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum speaks during a media briefing on LPG enforcement at the State Department for Petroleum headquarters, KASNEB, Nairobi on 26th Aug 2026 |
The Government has warned that enforcement against illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) operations will be intensified as it moves to curb illicit refilling and trade, which pose a threat to public safety.
Speaking during a media briefing at the State Department for Petroleum headquarters at KASNEB, Nairobi, the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum said the Government would not succumb to pressure from politicians and cartels benefiting from illegal LPG trade.
The CS said the Cabinet approved the LPG National Growth Strategy in October 2023 to facilitate the transition from biomass to LPG, a cleaner source of energy. One of the key areas of the strategy is legal and regulatory reform aimed at eliminating illegal refilling and illicit trade in LPG.
“The LPG sector is regulated by EPRA under the mandate emanating from the Energy Act, Cap 314, and the Petroleum Act, Cap 308,” the CS said.
The CS said the Petroleum (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) (No. 2) Regulations, 2025, Legal Notice No. 189 of 2025, were developed to operationalise the law and support implementation of the LPG Growth Strategy. The regulations were gazetted on November 14, 2025, and require all persons undertaking LPG businesses to obtain the necessary operational licences and comply with stipulated conditions.
They also require LPG cylinders to be clearly branded, with only legitimate brand owners authorised to refill and trade in cylinders bearing their brands.
The Government, through the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), is working with the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to enforce the regulations and combat illegal activities in the LPG sector.
The CS said due process is followed whenever illegally refilled cylinders are confiscated, including taking an inventory in the presence of EPRA officials, police officers and the affected operator, who is subsequently accorded a fair hearing before any legal or administrative action is taken.
The regulations further provide for the establishment of a central LPG cylinder tracking system to facilitate the tracking of purchases and sales of LPG cylinders and enhance transparency and accountability among market players. All cylinders will also be required to be serialised to facilitate traceability.
The CS clarified that procurement of the tracking system is yet to be completed and will be undertaken in accordance with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, Cap 412C.
“We wish to assure the public that Government will not succumb to pressure from politicians and cartels hellbent to benefit from LPG illicit trade. The crackdown on illegal LPG operations will be intensified until full compliance is achieved,” the CS said.
The CS was responding to remarks made earlier by impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua concerning the Government’s enforcement activities in the LPG sector.
The CS said the Government had been compelled to respond because the allegations touched on matters of public safety.
The Government also reaffirmed its commitment to the common petroleum import system, noting that Kenya has operated the system for Super Petrol, Diesel and Jet A-1/Kerosene for 23 years, with benefits in terms of price and quality.
In December 2024, Cabinet recommended the inclusion of Heavy Fuel Oil, Bitumen and LPG in the legal framework governing the common petroleum import system. This was followed by the publication of the Petroleum (Importation) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, Legal Notice No. 60 of 2025, on March 21, 2025.
The Ministry said it continues to work with stakeholders to ensure compliance with the regulations, while urging politicians to refrain from attacking public officers and law enforcement agencies carrying out their lawful duties.
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