By Bizna Brand Analyst
If your smooth-running vehicle suddenly breaks down on the way, it may not necessarily be due to any technical snag. The reason for it may well be adulterated petrol or diesel. Complaints to this effect are increasingly being made by a large number of vehicle owners in the country. Of late, the problem has increased manifold in the absence of regular checking, which is due to lack of coordination between the government and different oil companies.
Specifically, it has emerged that Shell is selling adulterated fuel to customers in some of it’s stations. The adulteration is done mainly by mixing kerosene and specific solvents with diesel or petrol. One motorist actually had her engine completely destroyed due to the bad fuel.
Here are some of the complaints on Twitter
Guys. Do not buy fuel from the Shell on Limuru Road opposite Village Market. It completely messed my car up. Was clearly adulterated.
— aleya: The A (@aleyakassam) December 10, 2016
14:52 Shell Stations on Thika Road sell adulterated fuel. The ones at TRM and mountain mall. via @Mocco_Gotti
— Ma3Route (@Ma3Route) December 10, 2016
.@vivoenergykenya several reports on adulterated fuel on select stations including Shell Limuru road by village market. Please investigate. pic.twitter.com/Cf9BKM3gAz
— A.K. Rono (@amosrono) December 14, 2016
What's really happening with the Multi National & Global 'figure-head' Brand Shell?
Why are they selling adulterated fuel? You losing Shell!— Mav (@Kenrezzy) December 13, 2016
I have been a loyal customer but your fuel is killing my engine!!!Bought adulterated fuel at your station @Kipkoech_Slim
— Charlo (@luoja25) November 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/SunguraMjaja/status/800973713407672320
Adulterated fuel from Shell Thika Road. If we can’t trust She’ll, who now? Total?
— Phares Kariuki (@kaboro) November 19, 2016
And this specific complaint below happens to be from several months ago meaning this thing has been going on for a very long time. Tonnie actually had to dump all the fuel from his car to save his engine.
Buyer BEWARE!
Fuelled adulterated at Shell next to Panafric. Fuel at your own risk @vivoenergykenya @ConsumersKenya pic.twitter.com/hz3kQ1EGHK— Tonnie Mello (@tonniemello) April 2, 2016
There is a chance that so many people have been affected but have never complained. There’s also a chance that so many motorists had their engines damaged by the adulterated fuel but never knew what caused it all.
This is bad because Shell is supposed to be a trusted international oil brand. Most people never trust independent petrol stations. They always look for a Shell or a Total or a Kenol/Kobil. What happens when one of these brands decides to be disloyal?
The sad part of it all is that Shell has been fined for such malpractices before by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) but the problem persists. So this is a clear case of either lack of capacity or willingness by local management to deal with the issue; Shell being an international brand, the latter is most likely.
Back in March, Shell even threatened to sue the ERC for publicly naming it the local dailies alongside other dealers found to have mixed diesel with kerosene for higher profits. Mr. Igathe, the CEO of oil marketer Vivo Energy, which sells Shell branded products argued that ERC had already punished them including slapping fines on dealers and it was unwarranted to shame the marketers in the newspaper notices.
