Editor's Review

President William Ruto is expected to chair a high-level meeting on fuel prices after returning from his visit to Azerbaijan.

President William Ruto is expected to chair a high-level meeting on fuel prices after returning from his visit to Azerbaijan.

Speaking during an interview on Monday, May 18, Treasury CS John Mbadi said the meeting will explore interventions aimed at cushioning Kenyans from rising fuel prices.

“We can only hope that this war will end, but as we hope, we must make some decisions. I am sure as a government we will sit again when the president comes back. He will have to look at what else we can do,” CS Mbadi said.

The Treasury CS noted that the government has so far lost about Ksh24 billion after reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products from 16 percent to 8 percent.

CS Mbadi also said the government has applied a fuel subsidy of Ksh 11.2 billion to cushion Kenyans.

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File image of Treasury CS Jihn Mbadi. 

“If we were to leave the prices without any intervention, Diesel today would be costing not less Ksh35 more, and petrol would be costing over Ksh70 more,” Mbadi said.

This comes after Matatu operators stayed off the road, paralyzing public transport in Nairobi and other towns across the country.

Photos and videos seen by Nairobileo.co.ke showed a huge number of commuters stranded at bus stops across many estates.

The matatu strike forced several Kenyans to walk to work, with others opting to use boda bodas.

On Saturday, May 16, the Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) and other stakeholders called for a nationwide strike over fuel prices.

The transport stakeholders accused the government and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) of imposing unfair fuel price hikes.

"Under the Transport Alliance, Transport associations hereby issues a nationwide strike notice effective Monday, 18th May 2026, in protest against the continued sharp and unjustified increase in fuel prices imposed by the Government through EPRA," the statement read.

On May 14, EPRA hiked the price of petrol by Ksh16.65 per litre and Diesel by Ksh46.29 per litre.

The regulator explained that the revised prices will take effect from May 15, 2026, and remain in force for 30 days.

"In Nairobi, Super Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene now retail at Kshs.214.25, Kshs.242.92 and Kshs.152.78 effective midnight for the next 30 days," the statement read.