Deputy President William Ruto has condemned the government for hiking fuel prices at a time when the country is struggling with Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking as he met grassroots leaders from Kandara Constituency at his Karen residence, Ruto asked the Ministry of Energy to work with the relevant agencies and the Parliamentary Committees to address the increase in fuel prices.
He has asked the Parliament Committee on Energy to sit down with Energy Cabinet Secretary to look for a solution and manage the situation that threatens to go out of hand.
“Relevant committee of Parliament must also summon an urgent meeting, work with the ministry to make sure that we manage this situation that is rolling out of hand because of the current situation in the nation,” he said.
He noted that leaders were abandoning their duties by engaging in politics that was adding no value to the people.
This comes as the fuel nightmare for Kenyan consumers continues to worsen.
Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary general Francis Atwoli said the government should prepare for unrest from all quarters.
Atwoli said the increase comes at a time when many workers are suffering from heavy taxation and slashed salaries due to Covid-19.
“As observed earlier, in our warning to the government to stop irritating Kenyan workers with these outrageous and insensitive increases in fuel prices, it only costs Sh.49.84 to import a litre of petrol from the Middle East while an average Kenyan has to pay an extra of around Sh.84 for every litre of petrol purchased. Interestingly, Uganda, which is a landlocked country, retails its petrol at Sh. 110 compared to Kenya’s Sh. 134,” added Atwoli.
He said Cotu is opposed to the perpetual increase in fuel prices and would like to urge the government to be innovative with how it raises taxes.
He has called upon President Uhuru Kenyatta to come out and explain the unfair perpetual increase in fuel prices.
Atwoli said Kenyatta should come out and explain to Kenyans why the government hellbent on increasing the pain and suffering of Kenyan workers and Kenyans in general amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We would like Uhuru to comment and make a statement on this unfair perpetual increase in fuel prices. Unless their policies place Kenyan workers at the centre then they should prepare for unrest from all quarters,” he said.
EPRA, on Tuesday, revised upwards the price of super petrol, diesel and kerosene by Sh7.58, Sh7.94 and Sh12.97 per litre respectively.
Epra said the jump in prices was due to the lifting of the stabilisation fund which had cushioned consumers from previous increases.
This increased the price of petrol by Sh7.58 a litre in Nairobi to Sh134.72 while diesel has shot by Sh7.94 to Sh115.6 a litre — the highest in Kenya’s history.
Effectively, a litre of petrol in Nairobi will now cost Sh135 from previous retailing price of Sh127.
The cost of diesel will be Sh116 from Sh108 while kerosene will cost Sh111 from Sh98 per litre respectively.