This archive report was first published on 3 October 2019.
On October 3, 2019, the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) made a shocking admission: its highly qualified and experienced employees were behind a racket that may have resulted in the loss of billions of shillings in fuel theft.
This revelation is not surprising, given the endemic graft and insatiable greed that has infiltrated almost every segment of our society. The breach of the pipeline poses a serious public health hazard from environmental pollution, and it is only depraved minds that do not value professionalism that could have abetted such a scam.
The rot is widespread in the private and public sectors, non-governmental organisations, homes, and small enterprises. The KPC management deserves kudos for owning up to the problem, but it is disappointing that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations was pivotal in busting the scam, rather than the company taking swift action.
As the pipeline parastatal moves to strengthen its internal and external monitoring and supervision, the culprits must be pursued and arraigned in court for this base and damning breach of trust.
