Our neighbours are less developed, don’t compare our fuel prices with them, Ruto says
President William Ruto chastised Kenyan neighbours terming them less developed and having largely a less combined infrastractural development compared to Kenya while defending the contentious high cost of fuel.
Instead, President Ruto Kenya matches its status as a Low- and Middle-Income Country (LMIC).
While defending Kenya’s relatively high fuel prices, arguing that comparisons with neighbouring countries are misleading due to differences in economic status and development.
Speaking during a church service earlier today, the Head of State dismissed concerns over the cost of fuel, maintaining that Kenya’s pricing reflects its position as a Low- and Middle-Income Country (LMIC).
He cautioned against comparing Kenya with its East African neighbours, many of whom he described as least developed countries with less advanced infrastructure.
“I know many people in Kenya keep asking why fuel prices are different here compared to our neighbours. Kenya is a middle-income country. Our neighbours are least developed countries,” Ruto said.
He insisted that Kenya should instead be benchmarked against economies within the same income bracket. “If you want to compare Kenya fairly with others, compare it with other middle-income countries,” he added.
The President’s remarks come amid public concern over rising fuel costs, which have continued to strain households and businesses.
When the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) announced new fuel prices on April 14, Kenya recorded the highest pump prices in the East African region, surpassing Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda.
However, a day later, EPRA issued a revised pricing structure following a directive from the National Treasury to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products from 13 per cent to 8 per cent.
The adjustment led to a drop in fuel prices, with Super Petrol and Diesel decreasing by Sh9.37 and Sh10.21 per litre respectively, while Kerosene prices remained unchanged.
