COFEK Flags Alleged Harmful Compounds in Kenya Fuel

The Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) has raised alarm over alleged harmful contaminants in the country’s fuel supply chain.

In a statement released on Wednesday, April 15, COFEK says it commissioned Conti Testing Laboratories in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, an internationally accredited facility, to analyse fuel samples drawn from Kenya’s supply chain and confirm the presence of dangerous compounds in the samples tested.

“COFEEK commissioned independent analysis BY Conti Testing Laboratories, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, USA,  an internationally accredited facility to examine fuel samples drawn from Kenya’s fuel supply chain,” stated Cofek.

According to the results, a significant presence of carcinogenic halogenated bromides was found in transit fuel and fuel destined for regional markets, raising concerns over exposure within the broader East African supply chain.

COFEK further revealed that the same carcinogenic compounds were detected in fuel diverted to the local Kenyan market, implying that unsuspecting consumers may already be exposed through everyday fuel use across pump stations nationwide.

“Critically, the same carcinogenic compounds have been detected in fuel diverted to the local Kenyan market, meaning unsuspecting Kenyan consumers are already being exposed,” stated Cofek.

However, the federation revealed that unmarked domestic fuel samples reportedly tested clean, a finding that investigators say points to a direct link between the contamination and the Société Industrielle et Commerciale de Produits Alimentaires (SICPA SA) fuel marking process used in the country system itself under scrutiny.

COFEK has warned that the presence of carcinogenic halogenated bromides in fuel constitutes a serious public health emergency requiring immediate regulatory intervention and independent verification of all fuel marking chemicals currently in use nationwide.

Brominated organic compounds are linked to cancer risks, including liver, skin, thyroid and testis malignancies, with some substances confirmed as multisite carcinogens in laboratory studies.

They also cause endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, liver damage, metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes, and immune suppression affecting natural killer cells and T-cell function, according to research findings.

While Kenyans do not necessarily interact directly with fuel, exposure to potentially harmful chemical compounds can still occur through everyday activities such as inhaling fuel vapours at petrol stations or breathing in vehicle exhaust emissions.

 When fuel containing chemical additives or contaminants is burned in engines, the compounds can be released into the air, exposing motorists, commuters, petrol station attendants, and residents living near busy roads to trace amounts over time.

SICPA SA  was initially awarded in June 2022 under a single-bidder process and later extended in June 2025 amid ongoing scrutiny by regulators and stakeholders.

COFEK says it will move to court seeking a permanent ban on SICPA SA and Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) from operating in Kenya’s fuel sector, citing unfair trade practices and alleged anti-competitive conduct within the industry and consumer harm.

Beyond the civil action, COFEK is preparing a private criminal prosecution involving five persons of interest, with allegations including abuse of office and recklessly endangering the health of Kenyan consumers in the matter filed in court.

In this regard, COFEK has called on EPRA to immediately suspend the SICPA SA fuel marking programme, recall fuel in circulation, test for contaminants, and publish the full chemical composition of the marker system used in Kenya without delay.

This comes as the nation is facing a fuel crisis, incriminating the Cabinet Secretary for Energy Opiyo Wandayi on the importation of a Ksh4.8 billion substandard fuel, largely believed to be containing high amounts of sulphur, which, according to the Kenya Bureau of Standards, is not reliable on vehicles.