PRICE DECREASE

Reprieve for Kenyans as petrol, kerosene prices drop

In Summary

•Super petrol will now retail for 129.72 per litre; 110.6 for diesel and 103.54 for Kerosene in Nairobi.

An attendant fueling a car/FILE
An attendant fueling a car/FILE

Poor households are the biggest beneficiaries in the latest monthly fuel price review as the cost of a litre of kerosene drops by the biggest margin of Sh7.28.

This is because kerosene is widely used for lighting and cooking for these families.

Super petrol, mostly used by motorists, has dropped by Sh5 per litre.

Diesel, widely used in the transport and agricultural sector has also dropped by an equal margin of Sh5, a move that is likely to tame the cost of living (inflation) which has been rising in recent months.

Monthly Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) data shows inflation rose to 6.91 per cent in September, from 6.57 per cent in August.

The drop in fuel prices comes despite an increase in the landed cost of petrol and diesel, where that of petrol increased by 1.71 per cent from $548.36 per cubic metre in August to $557.74 in September.

Diesel increased by 3.10 per cent from $489.51 per cubic metre to $508.68.

The cost of importing kerosene however dropped by 4.1 per cent to $477.75 from $498.19 per cubic metre.

“The government will utilise the Petroleum Development Levy to cushion consumers from the otherwise high prices,” EPRA director general Kiptoo Bargoria said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

The adjustments now puts new pump prices at Sh129.72 per litre of petrol in Nairobi, down from Sh134.72.

That of diesel drops to Sh110.60 from Sh115.60 while kerosene will now retail at Sh103.54 per litre, down from Sh110.82 until Novomber 14, when new prices will be announced.

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