Poor households, which mainly use kerosene for lighting and cooking, will suffer the most as a result of the latest rise in fuel prices.
The prices of Super petrol, diesel and kerosene have gone up by more than two shillings beginning today and will run up until February 14.
In its monthly review, the Energy Regulatory Commission said the prices of Super petrol and diesel have increased by Sh2.13 and Sh2.39 per litre respectively, while a litre of kerosene will cost Sh3.36 more.
Following the increments, a litre of petrol will now cost Sh106.30 in Nairobi from Sh104.17, diesel will trade at Sh94.82 from Sh92.44, while the retail price for a litre of kerosene is Sh74.78.
In Mombasa, petrol will sell at Sh103.01 per litre — up from Sh100.89, diesel will be Sh91.55 — from Sh89.17, while kerosene will cost Sh72.22 a litre — from Sh68.65.
Kisumu residents will pay Sh108.24 for a litre of petrol from Sh106.13, a litre of diesel will go for Sh96.99 — from Sh95.55, while kerosene is now Sh76.69 — from Sh73.34.
In Eldoret, petrol will cost Sh108.17 — from Sh106.06, diesel Sh96.92 — from Sh94.54, while kerosene is Sh76.69 a litre. In Nakuru, the price of a litre of petrol is now Sh106.99 — from Sh104.88, diesel Sh95.74 — up from Sh93.36, while a litre of kerosene will retail at Sh75.62 — from Sh72.27.
Mandera residents will pay the highest for fuel, with petrol selling at Sh120.11 per litre — up from Sh11.98, diesel costs Sh108.63 — from Sh106.25 and kerosene is Sh88.59 — from Sh85.23.
The ERC has attributed the increase to “weighted average cost of imported refined petroleum products”.
“The changes in this month’s prices have been as a consequence of the average landed cost of imported Super petrol increasing by 3.99 per cent from $636.22 per ton in November 2017 to $661.63 per ton in December,” ERC acting managing director Robert Oimeke said in the monthly review.
Diesel increased by 4.63 per cent from $463.63 to $568.82 per ton and kerosene shot up by 6.36 per cent — from $579.64 to $616.51 per ton.
The Free On Board price of Murban crude oil increased by 1.89 per cent in December to $64.85 from $63.65 per barrel in November.
“Over the same period, the mean monthly US Dollar to Kenya Shilling exchange rate appreciated by 0.30 per cent from Sh103.43 per dollar in November to Sh103.12 per dollar in December,” Oimeke said.