The ongoing fuel shortage across the country has paralyzed the movement of political aspirants in Trans Nzoia County, affecting their campaigns.
Speaking to K24 digital John Njuguna, who is vying for Cherang’any Constituency Member of Parliament, said they are unable to meet the electorates due to the persistent crisis.
“As an aspirant in the expansive constituency of Cherang’any, I am not able to move around because my vehicles don’t have fuel. The vehicles are now parked,” he said.
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Njuguna questioned why the stalemate has not been resolved despite President Uhuru Kenyatta’s approval of a Ksh34 billion allocation to the Petroleum Development Levy Fund to stabilize fuel prices on Monday.
“We thought this crisis would have been resolved immediately President Kenyatta approved the supplementary budget. We are wondering why we are still witnessing motorists queuing in filling stations. Did the President play PR on us?” Njuguna piqued.
Lilian Chebet Siyoi who is vying for Trans Nzoia Women Representative said the stalemate is affecting her campaigns negatively and that she has been forced to suspend some meetings.
“We need fuel to move around the county. Personally, I cannot fuel my vehicles because there is no fuel in all our filling stations. I have actually called off some of my public engagements because I cannot move,” Siyoi said.
The youthful aspirant said if the government does not act swiftly to fix the situation, the country is likely to witness a sharp increase in the crime rate.
“Fuel is everything in this world. Boda boda riders and other business people who rely on fuel are now idle; they can’t manage to buy petrol because the pump prices are hiking. This will automatically have a ripple effect on our national security,” she noted.
On Thursday, Energy Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma assured Kenyans that the government is doing everything possible to resolve the fuel shortage stalemate in the country. The CS was speaking at Mombasa port when she received a consignment of 100 million litres of fuel.
