Wandayi to Gachagua: LPG cylinder tracking system is far from complete

Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has refuted former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's claims about the government's efforts to enforce liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) regulations. Speaking to reporters on August 26, 2026, Wandayi stated that the central cylinder tracking system mandated by the 2025 LPG regulations is not yet complete.

The new regulations, which came into effect on November 14, 2025, aim to enhance transparency and accountability in the LPG sector by requiring all cylinders to be serialized for traceability. However, Wandayi emphasized that the implementation of the central tracking system is still ongoing. Gachagua had accused the government of harassing small-scale LPG traders and seizing over 200,000 cylinders between June and October 2025, alleging that these cylinders were later funneled to private enterprises controlled by politicians and state actors.

In response, Wandayi defended the government's actions, stating that the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) collaborates with the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to combat illegal activities in the LPG sector. He clarified that when illegally refilled cylinders are seized, they are inventoried in the presence of the regulator, police, and the operator, with the operator subsequently receiving a fair hearing before any legal or administrative action is taken.

The government's ongoing crackdown on illegal LPG operations is part of broader efforts to increase LPG usage while enhancing oversight of the sector and ensuring public safety.