EPRA Appoints Joseph Oketch as Acting Director General Amid Ksh4 Billion Fuel Scandal

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has named Dr. Eng. Joseph Oketch as its Acting Director General with immediate effect, following the resignation of former DG Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria.

The appointment was announced on Sunday, April 5, during a press briefing by EPRA Board Chairman Adan Ali, who said the decision was necessary to ensure leadership continuity at a critical moment for Kenya’s energy sector.

Oketch’s appointment comes just a day after Kiptoo stepped down in the wake of a major scandal involving the alleged importation of substandard fuel valued at more than Ksh4 billion.

The issue has sparked nationwide concern, especially because EPRA plays a key role in regulating fuel quality, setting petroleum and electricity tariffs, licensing sector players, and protecting consumers from unsafe or unfair practices.

While making the announcement, Adan Ali said the EPRA board has full confidence in Oketch’s ability to guide the authority through the current challenges.

He noted that the board believes Oketch has the experience, leadership skills, and technical knowledge needed to keep the regulator stable and effective during this sensitive period.

Before this new appointment, Oketch was serving as the Director of Electricity and Renewable Energy at EPRA, where he has been leading the development, review, and monitoring of regulations, codes, and standards in the electricity and renewable energy sectors.

The board confirmed that he will continue overseeing that docket even as he takes up the acting Director General role.

EPRA also moved quickly to reassure Kenyans, investors, and other stakeholders that the authority remains stable and fully operational despite the leadership changes.

The board emphasized that its mandate to regulate the country’s energy sector effectively and sustainably remains unchanged, adding that consumers should remain confident in the institution’s ability to protect public interests.

Dr. Oketch brings with him more than 25 years of experience in Kenya’s energy industry. Before joining EPRA around ten years ago, he held senior leadership positions at Kenya Power and the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), where he built a strong reputation in power systems management, energy planning, and regulatory compliance.

Academically, he is highly qualified. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nairobi, a Master’s degree, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management from the same institution.

He also earned a PhD in Strategic Management from Kenyatta University, a background that further strengthens his leadership profile.

His appointment follows the dramatic fall of his predecessor, Daniel Kiptoo, who was arrested on Friday evening alongside former Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohammed Liban and former Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang.

The three officials later resigned after investigators linked them to alleged manipulation of Kenya’s in-country fuel stock data.

According to investigators, the falsified stock figures were allegedly used to create the impression of an urgent fuel shortage, which then became the basis for an emergency fuel import deal outside Kenya’s Government-to-Government oil supply arrangement with Gulf countries.

The cargo, reportedly worth around Ksh4 billion, is said to have been procured at prices far above the agreed rates and in violation of established emergency procurement rules. Even more concerning, the fuel is alleged to have failed to meet the country’s required quality standards.

The scandal has now placed intense public attention on the country’s fuel supply chain, with many Kenyans demanding accountability and stronger oversight.

Oketch now steps into office at a time when restoring public trust, strengthening regulatory controls, and ensuring fuel quality compliance will be among his biggest immediate priorities.

This leadership change is likely to shape the next chapter of Kenya’s energy sector, as both the government and regulators face growing pressure to clean up procurement systems and protect the country from future supply manipulation scandals.

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