The High Court has ordered Total Kenya Limited to pay KSh 20.7 million to former dealer David Kamau Ngure after finding that the oil marketer used his trade name, KRA PIN, telephone number and email for months after their business relationship ended.
Business Daily reported the outcome on 28 September 2026. The judgment in Ngure t/a Dasken Enterprises v Total Kenya Ltd & another was delivered on 27 July 2026 by Justice J.W.W. Mongare (Commercial Case E475 of 2020).
The court found that Total used Ngure’s credentials and trading style Dasken Enterprises without consent for about 230 days, from 1 January 2020 to 18 August 2020.
What the Court Awarded
Compensation was assessed at KSh 90,000 per day for those 230 days, totalling KSh 20,700,000, plus interest at court rates from the date of judgment until payment in full.
Total Kenya was also ordered to bear the costs of the suit payable to the plaintiff and the second defendant.
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| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Plaintiff | David Kamau Ngure t/a Dasken Enterprises |
| Defendant (key) | Total Kenya Ltd |
| Station link | Likoni Road Service Station, Nairobi Industrial Area |
| Period of unauthorised use | 1 Jan 2020 – 18 Aug 2020 (230 days) |
| Daily rate applied | KSh 90,000 |
| Award | KSh 20.7 million + interest from judgment |
| Judgment date | 27 July 2026 |
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Background of the Dispute
Ngure’s plaint, dated 16 November 2020, stated that he had been engaged by Total as a “Young Dealer” to manage and run the company’s Likoni Road service station in Nairobi’s Industrial Area.
After the dealer relationship ended, he sued over continued use of his personal and business identifiers. The High Court accepted that the company kept using his business name, KRA PIN, phone number and email without authority during the 230-day window in 2020.
Business Daily reported that the dispute also raised privacy and property concerns linked to how tax and business credentials were handled after the dealership ended. Ngure said the episode caused reputational and commercial harm, including problems with tax compliance paperwork.
Why the Case Matters for Dealers and Oil Marketers
Petrol station networks in Kenya often run on dealer or “young dealer” models. Trade names, KRA PINs, emails and phone lines sit at the centre of tax filings, supplier accounts and customer contact.
When a dealership ends, failure to cut those identifiers cleanly can create tax exposure, compliance friction and brand confusion. This judgment treats prolonged unauthorised use of those credentials as compensable harm, priced day by day.
For marketers, the practical lesson is operational: exit checklists should cover systems access, tax registration links, station communications and any trading style still tied to the outgoing dealer. For dealers, it underlines the value of written termination records and prompt objection when credentials remain active.
Orders and Next Steps
Beyond the money award, reporting on the case has pointed to consequential steps around surrender of communications channels and clean-up of tax records once the commercial position is sorted. Readers should treat any extra operational directives as subject to the full sealed orders and any stay or appeal process.
Business Daily noted that Total Kenya has moved toward appeal. A notice of appeal does not by itself wipe out the judgment. It opens a path to challenge the decision in the Court of Appeal, subject to stay applications and the appellate timetable.
Until a higher court varies the orders, or a stay is granted, the High Court award of KSh 20.7 million plus interest stands as the current decree.
Read also:High Court Dismisses Mediheal Suit, Clearing NCBA to Repossess Equipment
Bottom Line
The High Court ordered Total Kenya to pay former Likoni Road dealer David Kamau Ngure (trading as Dasken Enterprises) KSh 20.7 million for unauthorised use of his business name, KRA PIN, phone and email for 230 days in 2020, calculated at KSh 90,000 a day.
The judgment was delivered on 27 July 2026 and widely reported on 28 September 2026. Total has signalled an appeal. The case is a clear warning on dealer exits: tax and communication credentials are not residual assets of the marketer after the relationship ends.
Sources:
Business Daily – Total Kenya ordered to pay Sh21m for illegal use of ex-dealer’s KRA PIN (28 September 2026);
SheriaHub – Ngure t/a Dasken Enterprises v Total Kenya Ltd & another [2026] KEHC 12256 (KLR).