NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 4 – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended senior energy officials implicated in the ongoing fuel supply scandal, claiming their actions were aimed at shielding Kenyans from rising global oil prices triggered by the Iran crisis.Speaking amid intensifying investigations into alleged manipulation of fuel stock data, Gachagua argued that “the officials may have acted in the country’s best interest by facilitating the importation of cheaper fuel to stabilise local prices.”His remarks come as authorities probe claims that top officials in the petroleum sector fabricated a fuel shortage to justify emergency imports outside the Government-to-Government (G2G) framework.Gachagua pointed to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran, which have disrupted global oil supply chains and driven up fuel prices worldwide.Recent reports indicate that the conflict has strained fuel availability, with some retailers in Kenya already experiencing shortages due to supply disruptions through key shipping routes.Against this backdrop, Gachagua suggested that the controversial fuel import decisions should be viewed within the context of global market instability rather than outright misconduct.The government, however, maintains that there was no actual fuel shortage at the time and insists that officials manipulated in-country stock data to create artificial panic.Investigators allege that the scheme led to the procurement of fuel at inflated prices and of questionable quality, in violation of procurement laws and established supply frameworks.Several top officials—including former Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang, and EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria—have since resigned following their arrest.Gachagua’s defence introduces a competing narrative, framing the actions as a possible attempt to cushion consumers from global price shocks rather than deliberate economic sabotage.However, government officials have warned that any deviation from established procurement systems, regardless of intent, undermines transparency, accountability, and public trust.Authorities continue to investigate the matter, focusing on whether the alleged fuel imports were part of a broader scheme to exploit market uncertainty caused by international crises.The case has sparked a wider national debate on governance, oversight, and crisis management within Kenya’s critical energy sector.