Ministry of Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter and his Petroleum counterpart John Munyes have snubbed Senate summons regarding the recent increase in fuel prices in the country.
The two were summoned by the Senate last week to explain the high cost of petroleum products in the country.
Keter said that the issue falls under the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining.
Senator argued that Parliament is the one to be blamed for its role in passing legislation to pass on higher taxes for petroleum.
Siaya Senator James Orengo said Kenyans are right to blame lawmakers for failing to intervene over the matter, adding it is an institutional affair that should not be based on political parties.
“The public is correct in blaming the National Assembly and the Senate. And it is not a party matter, it is an institutional matter…anybody going outside there and saying that it is either Jubilee, UDA, or ODM are completely misled. This is a matter on which Parliament must take full responsibility,” he said.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina blamed Parliament for its role in passing on higher taxes for petroleum even as his views were met by backlash from fellow committee members.
“Kenyans are pissed at the Executive but they should be pissed at us as we are the ones who pass the legislation. We as Senate for instance passed the Petroleum Act which resulted in the petroleum development levy,” he said.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said the CSs should explain why fuel prices are much higher in Kenya compared to landlocked neighboring countries including Tanzania and Uganda yet they collect their fuel from our port in Mombasa.
Last week, EPRA 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.
Munyes who is known of snubbing Senate summons, in March defended the hike in fuel prices saying that EPRA uses a formula outlined in the Energy (Petroleum Pricing) Regulations of 2010 to calculate the applicable petroleum pump prices.
He said that the computation takes into account the landed costs, supplier margins, government taxes plus storage and distribution costs.