Frontier town, Garissa, in north-eastern Kenya is rapidly transiting to a hub for contraband fuel smuggled in jerricans from neighbouring Somalia.

The smuggled fuel adds to the long list of goods trafficked from Somalia into the Kenya that range from sugar to powdered milk, cooking oil, spaghetti, clothes and shoes. The illicit business, local business community complains, denies the government the much-needed revenue and exposes local consumers to potentially dangerous goods that include foods and drugs.

Garissa has also become a corridor for hard drugs trafficking such as bhang, ingredients used in shisha, cocaine and heroin are also peddled in large quantities into Kenya from Somalia through the same corridors, which link the Kenyan town to the Somali capital Mogadishu, Kismayo Port and other towns along the Indian Ocean coast of Somalia.

Security officials in Garissa say there are at least 10 illegal fuel selling points in different bullas or villages around Garissa town. The fuel business is propped insecurity posed by Somali militia that use the town as launching pad for terrorists attacks in Kenya that target police officers, grassroots administrators, the military and communication installations.

As a result, security teams are cautious not to clamp down the illegal businesses lest thy targeted by the militiamen. The militiamen, who benefit from the proceeds from the illegal businesses maintain informers and agents among all cadres of civil servants, regional government and civilians.

In Burburis village on the outskirts of Garissa Town, a contingent of police officers led by the county commissioner and Garissa county police commander toured the contraband goods smuggling hotspots following intelligence of thriving illegal fuel trade.

During the police crackdown on Tuesday, dozens of taxi motorbike owners, tuk-tuk (rickshaws), saloon car owners and pickups were found queuing for fuel outside an iron-sheeted structure, where the business is run from. 

However, except for hundreds of empty jerricans strewn at the premises, there was no single litre of the said smuggled fuel that was found. The security teams said they suspect information of their imminent visit might have leaked before their arrival.

During the patrol, the contingent came across one Mohamed Sheikh, a taxi operator who has been fuelling his car in the dens for more than six months.

Sheikh said the high cost of fuel has pushed many common Kenyans to look for alternative ways of sustaining their businesses and hopes that, while the government closes down the establishments, the same government would lower taxes on fuel.

“This fuel has helped us a lot. We have been using this fuel for close to six months now in Garissa. If you compare the prices with the ordinary petrol stations, there is a very big difference. For the common people like us, we suffer because of high fuel prices,” Sheikh said.

“Five litres of petrol here costs only Ksh700 compared to the prices of Ksh189 per litre in the petrol stations. That is a big difference,” he explained.

While warning of harsh legal action against those smuggling and operating such businesses, Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo said the government will not allow such business in the country.

“We have conducted a crackdown on trade on illegal fuel from Somalia. This illegal fuel was previously being sold in rural areas such as in Hagdera but now the business has expanded to Garissa Town. First, this fuel is not safe because it is adulterated, besides not being cleared by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA),” Mwabudzo said.

“This is something unacceptable in this country. We are warning all those involved in this fuel smuggling syndicate that we will not hesitate to take legal actions against them. It is so that this illegal fuel is being sold even in residential areas, putting the lives of people in danger,” he added.

During an interview at his office petroleum traders chairman in Garissa, Mohamed Moulid, said fuel sales have drastically dropped since the illegal fuel businesses began. Moulid says that most of the customers now prefer the cheaper fuel, noting that previously the petrol stations were busy with customers streaming in and out for fuel, but now more than 20 minutes may pass without even a single customer.

“We have complied with all requirements of running petrol stations business, we pay taxes to the government but now some people have introduced smuggled fuel in this town for a cheaper price,” Moulid said.

“Our businesses have gone down because of the low sales and it is making it difficult for us to pay taxes or even our employees. We want the government to take firm action to stop that business immediately,” he added.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Erick Kyalo