Saturday, July 27

Pain At The Pump: Petrol Price Up By Ksh. 5.72 As Gov’t Says It’s Using Petroleum Development Levy To Cushion Kenyans

The government has announced reviewed fuel prices, with petrol prices up by Ksh. 5.72, diesel up by Ksh. 4.48 and kerosene up by Ksh. 2.45 per litre.

This means that Super Petrol will retail at Ksh. 217.36, diesel at Ksh. 205.47 and kerosene at Ksh. 205.06 in Nairobi.

During a press briefing on Saturday led by Energy CS Davis Chirchir, he said he decided to take part in this month’s briefing to let Kenyans know what the government is doing to try and deal with the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products, even as he said that citizens should expect more price increases.

The CS said, “Yesterday we had a Cabinet meeting where we decided to come in and cushion Kenyans to a good extent. Previously we used to cushion using subsidies, but now we have put that aside.”

Chirchir said the Cabinet agreed to use the Petroleum Development Levy (PDL) to cushion Kenyans.

“The amount of money we are going to use to cushion Kenyans is Ksh. 1.77 billion,” he said.

The amounts shaved off with the removal of PDL are Ksh. 3.07 from super petrol, Ksh. 11.64 from diesel and Ksh. 9.6 from kerosene.

The levy is among the nine taxes imposed on petroleum products.

In August, the government denied returning to fuel subsidies, saying it was using fuel stabilisation through the Petroleum Development Levy.

Chirchir said the decision was arrived at without consulting the parent Energy ministry but rather following the backing by the Cabinet.

EPRA announces changes in fuel prices on the 14th of every month.

There was a sharp increase in fuel prices in the last announcement that saw the prices surpass the Ksh.200 per litre mark.

EPRA reviewed prices, announcing that Super Petrol prices had increased by Ksh.16.96, Diesel by Ksh.21.32, while Kerosene climbed the highest by Ksh.33.13 per litre to a record high of Ksh.211.64 for Super Petrol, Ksh.201 for Diesel and Ksh.202.13 for Kerosene per litre in Nairobi.

Former Trade Cabinet Secretary and Current Public Service Performance and Delivery Management CS Moses Kuria told Kenyans that fuel prices in the country would continue to rise by at least Ksh. 10 every month until February next year, sparking uproar among Kenyans.

He posted on his official X page last month that: “Global Crude Prices are on an upward trajectory. For planning purposes expect pump prices to go up by Ksh 10  every month till February.”

Kuria added: “I repeat. Petrol will be Ksh.260 by February. El Nino is coming in 3 weeks and will last till March. These are global and climate change-driven. Responsible leaders ought to tell the truth to prepare the people. You can throw stones at me all you want.”

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