Kenyans must brace for tougher times ahead after Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) announced higher costs of fuel with prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene surging by Sh7.63, Sh5.75 and Sh5.41 respectively.
In its latest monthly review, the regulator said that super petrol will retail at Sh122.81 in Nairobi while diesel and kerosene will retail at Sh107.66 and Sh97.85 respectively.
It said the surge is a consequence of the average landed cost of imported Super Petrol which increased by 14.97 percent from $391.24 in January 2021 to $449.82 per cubic metre in February 2021.
“Diesel increased by 12.29 per cent from $377.55 per cubic metre to $423.95 per cubic metre and Kerosene increased by 13.26 per cent from $347.19 per cubic metre to $393.23 per cubic metre,” Epra said in a statement issued by EPRA Acting Director-General Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria.
The mean monthly shilling exchange rate with the dollar appreciated by 0.20 per cent from Sh108.89 per dollar in January to Sh109.67 per dollar in February.
Last month, Epra announced a sharper surge in cost of fuel, which now means the cost of super, diesel and kerosene has increased by Sh15.82, Sh11.26 and Sh10.73 respectively since the last review last month.
From today, the cost of petrol and diesel will retail at Sh120.41 and Sh105.27 in Mombasa, while in Mandera the two commodities will be sold at Sh136 and Sh120 per litre respectively.
During the last announcement Stephen Mutoro, Secretary-General, Consumers Federation of Kenya condemned the fuel price hike, appealing to Kenyans to stand tall and question why they are overtaxed and the benefits are not felt on the ground.
“Kenyans must, now more than ever, start asking critical questions why they continue to pay taxes on fuel which taxes and levies end up in private pockets,” Mutoro said.
