Motorists block Kenya-Tanzania link road over hiked fuel prices

By Ian Byron

Transport along the busy Migori-Isebania highway was paralysed Thursday as motorists staged demonstrations over increased fuel prices.

Operations along the busy highway came to a standstill, with armed police officers watching helplessly as irate motorists packed their vehicles on Migori Town Bridge over river Migori, the only access point in the town, and blocked other feeder roads, saying they had run out of fuel.

They also used boulders to block the highway connecting Kenya with Tanzania, while daring the police to shoot in the air and lob teargas canisters at them.

“We cannot operate in a country run with impunity. Our political leaders are letting the common mwananchi suffer despite tough economic times occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Mr Joel Owino, a matatu driver said.

On Wednesday, the government, through the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) increased the cost of petrol prices past the Sh130 per liter mark, the highest ever, raising the cost by Sh7.58 per liter.

In Nairobi, a liter of petrol will now retail at Ksh134.72 (US $1.22) from Ksh127.14 (US $1.16), while diesel’s cost spiked to Ksh115.60 (US $1.05) from Ksh107.66 (US $0.98) and kerosene’s price to Ksh110.82 (US $1.01) from Ksh97.85 (US $0.89).

This article originally appeared in The East African.

Photo:NMG