Rubis Energy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jean-Christian Bergeron is set to be deported after the Kenyan government revoked his work permit and ordered him to leave the country.
Bergeron's deportation order was granted on the grounds of national security and economic sabotage after he was mentioned in alleged fuel hoarding saga that has resulted in a national fuel shortage.
The deportation order was reportedly signed by Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i, on Wednesday, April 13.
Bergeron faces accusations of economic sabotage and blackmailing the government to pay subsidies for a consignment the oil marketer allegedly sold before the global fuel prices went up.
In a bid to stop his deportation, Rubis management led by the legal team began negotiations with the government officials from the Ministries of Energy, Mining and Petroleum, and Interior.
Insiders at the Ministry of Energy revealed that several petrol stations across the country were being investigated and that more oil company bosses will be questioned over the shortage.
Bergeron's deportation comes barely days after the government issued a warning to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) deliberately limiting their fuel supply to the local market and diverting it to other regions.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) vowed firm action against any OMC found hoarding oil.
In a letter to Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary, EPRA called for the sanctioning of the OMCs, recommending the reduction of their export quota.
"EPRA has analysed the daily petroleum loadings over the past four weeks and noted that a number of OMCs have, in the period under review, given priority to export loadings while the local market was left to suffer intermittent supply," warned EPRA.
"Key consideration should be given to the reduction of capacity share for all OMCs who increased their transit volumes over and above their normal quota during the crisis period."
More to follow...
