- The prices have set the stage for further increases in the cost of living at a time inflation has hit a 27-month high.
- The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority increased the pump prices of petrol diesel and kerosene by Sh9 per litre.
Image: FILE
Senators were on Wednesday up in arms about the escalating cost of fuel that will hurt mwananchi.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority increased the pump prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene by Sh9 per litre.
The increase pushed the cost of super and diesel to Sh159.12 and Sh140, respectively in Nairobi — the highest in Kenya’s history.
Kerosene prices also went up by a similar margin and will now retail at Sh127 in Nairobi.
The prices have set the stage for further increases in the cost of living at a time inflation has hit a 27-month high.
In heated debate in the chamber, the legislators called for urgent government intervention to curb the rising prices that are making the cost of living unbearable.
“This is the highest Kenyans have ever had to pay for fuel and the consequences will be dire,” Narok Senator Ledama Olekina said.
“It will skyrocket the cost of living. This will further make it difficult for ordinary people to afford their day-to-day life,” the senator added.
The lawmaker warned that the ripple effect of the latest price increase would be greater and have a major impact on the lives of citizens.
Olekina demanded the Ministry of Petroleum explains to Kenyans the additional measure, if any, put in place to lower and stabilise fuel prices.
“It is however disheartening to see the Ministry of Energy doing nothing significant to address the crises including building the capacity of the National Oil Corporation in their distribution of fuel,” he said.
He accused the ministry of trying to remove the 30 per cent allocation set aside for National Oil Corporation to import petroleum into the country.
Olekina claimed, if the National Oil Corporation was involved in the importation of fuel today, Kenyans would be paying much less on petroleum products.
“This is because the National Oil would be able to get into long-term supplier contract with deep discounts to start with,” he said.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said if the fuel price hike is not addressed urgently, the cost of living will escalate and that of doing business.
Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri described the fuel price hike as pathetic and sad coming at a time Kenyans are very distressed about the cost of living.
Ongeri said the fuel price hike will affect the agricultural sector because of the rotation in the transportation of raw materials for manufacturing of the thermal fields and other areas.
Marsabit Senator Godana Hargura asked EPRA use the Petroleum Development levy to cushion Kenyans instead of the invoking price increment whenever landing prices increase.
“We know fuel price affects all sectors of our life. If it’s transportation, if it's production, it affects everything.”
“So (EPRA) should not jump to giving gear to full price increases, like this one of Sh9 per litre, which is, I believe in this period where we are experiencing a lot of hardship, very high,” Hargura said.
-Edited by SKanyara