Nairobi, March 9 -- Oil marketers have moved to court seeking to stop the planned importation of fuel on credit from the United Arab Emirates in a government-to-government deal that officials have said will ease pressure on dollar demand.

The dealers through their lawyer Ndegwa Njiru say the plan by the government to pick a local oil marketer breaches the Open Tender System where marketers competitively bid for the tender.

The oil firms also allege that there was no public participation and stakeholder consultation before the gazettement of the Petroleum (Importation) Regulations, 2023, which is a breach of the constitution.

The imports, which will come through a credit of six months and a year, are expected to ease a crisis in the for...