Kenya: Fuel prices will not change, says Epra

By Brian Ambani

The Energy and Petroleum Authority (Epra) has handed Kenyans a reprieve by keeping fuel prices unchanged for the next one month, easing fears of a rise in the cost of the key commodity. 

Epra was expected to raise the prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene by passing on the increased cost of importing fuel to consumers following a hike in global crude oil prices. 

The landed cost of importing a cubic-metre of petrol increased by 4.8 per cent to $520.04 last month from $496.1 in May, while that of diesel increased by 3.69 per cent from $461.95 to $479.01 during the same period. 

However, the price a similar quantity of kerosene in the global market remained unchanged between May and June, but no single consignment for the commodity was imported into the country through the Port of Mombasa during the period, Epra said. 

“In accordance with Section 101(y) of the Petroleum Act 2019, Legal Notice No.196 of 2010 and Legal Notice No. 26 of 2012, the Energy & Petroleum Regulatory Authority has calculated the maximum retail prices of petroleum products, for the period 15th July 2021 to 14th August 2021,” Epra said in a statement on Wednesday. 

“In the period under review, price for super petrol, diesel and kerosene remain unchanged,” Epra said. 

The next fuel price review by Epra will be on August 14. 

Last month, Epra marginally raised the price of a litre of petrol by 77 cents, pushing the price to Sh127.14, and kept the cost of diesel and kerosene unchanged for the fourth month in a row.

The latest review means the price of diesel and kerosene have remained the same for the fifth month running after the government struck a deal with oil marketers to maintain the current prices to ease pressure on consumers.

This means that consumers in Nairobi will continue to buy petrol at Sh127.14, diesel at Sh107.66 and Sh97.85 for kerosene.

Meanwhile, motorists in Nakuru will continue to buy a litre of petrol for Sh126.75, Sh107.55 for diesel and Sh97.76 for kerosene.

At the same time, those in Eldoret will pay Sh127.67 for a litre of petrol, Sh108.46 and Sh98.68 for diesel and kerosene respectively.

This has handed consumers relief from a rise in the cost of transport, commodities and electricity at a time households are grappling with an increase in the cost of cooking gas, bread, cooking oil and maize flour.

This article was originally published by the Nation. [Photo: Nation Media Group]