The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) has warned that jet fuel reserves at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Moi International Airport will be exhausted by March 7, 2019, prompting concerns over potential flight disruptions. Only 10 million liters remain in stock, sufficient for four days at current consumption rates, according to KPC acting managing director Hudson Andambi.
Andambi informed the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) that non-scheduled airlines must source fuel from alternative locations to avoid technical stopovers at JKIA. Scheduled operators would receive fuel allocations based on available volumes, while non-scheduled carriers faced refueling restrictions. This follows reduced jet fuel orders by oil marketers, who placed 37,000 tonnes in January compared to a requested 60,000 tonnes.
A February 28 meeting with stakeholders aimed to implement 30% rationing but failed to address the supply gap. A vessel carrying fuel is en route to Mombasa, with delivery to Nairobi's Embakasi depot expected by March 10. Petroleum Principal Secretary Andrew Kamau claimed fuel would arrive by Friday, contradicting KPC's timeline.
The crisis echoes a 2014 shortage that required emergency deliveries from Tanzania, though KPC noted that option had already been exhausted. Airlines like Kenya Airways received 1 million liters in allocations, while Astral Aviation considered diverting flights to Tanzania's Kilimanjaro Airport. A Kenya Aviation Workers Union strike temporarily reduced flight numbers, easing pressure on dwindling reserves.
