Vivo Energy Kenya, the licensed distributor of Shell fuels, says it is working around the clock to restock service stations that ran dry as demand surged this week.
In a statement, the company confirmed temporary stockouts at “some” locations and pledged continuous monitoring and rapid replenishment.
The notice did not specify which sites were affected or provide a timeline for when normal supply would resume.
It attributed the shortages to increased demand and thanked customers for their “continued patronage,” while apologizing for the inconvenience.
Motorists in Nairobi reported queues and dry pumps on Tuesday evening, particularly for petrol.
Vivo Energy is the licensed retailer for Shell-branded fuels in Kenya and also operates lubricants and commercial supply operations.
The company says it remains committed to keeping its network—and the essential services that rely on it—fully supplied.
Earlier this week, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi warned oil marketing companies (OMCs) in the East African nation against hoarding fuel and creating artificial shortages in anticipation of higher prices due to the conflict in the Middle East.
“Notwithstanding the stable supply position, we note with concern reports of product hoarding and speculative withholding of stocks,” Wandayi said.
“This conduct is commercially opportunistic, contrary to the public interest, and in direct breach of licensing obligations.”
He reminded OMCs of their obligation to maintain continuous supply and to sell fuel at prices set by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
The Cabinet Secretary maintained that Kenya has adequate fuel reserves, with the Kenya Pipeline Company holding 102 million litres of petrol, 146 million litres of diesel, and 167 million litres of kerosene/Jet A-1.
“These stocks are sufficient to meet national demand, benchmarked against average daily consumption,” he said.
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