The Senate has summoned Ministry of Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter and his Petroleum counterpart John Munyes to appear before the House and explain the recent increase in fuel prices by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
In a session on Wednesday, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka summoned the two to appear before it next week on Tuesday to explain why petrol prices rose to an all-time high.
"I direct that the committee on Energy immediately issue summonses to the two Cabinet Secretaries and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA ) to appear on Tuesday. All senators should be invited to sit at this chamber,” Speaker Lusaka directed.
While pushing for the two to appear before the House, Senators argued that the upward review needs to be discussed in detail since cost of fuel is high in Kenya as opposed to her neighbours.
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“Mr Speaker they 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,” Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei submitted.
Cherargei’s point was echoed by Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot who argued that, Senators will have a difficult time with their constituents this coming weekend due to the increase in fuel prices.
“When members retreat to their constituencies this weekend, can assure you in every gathering, people will want to linch you because of the increased prices,” he said in part.
Petroleum CS John Munyes and his Energy counterpart Charles Keter. [Photo: Courtesy]
On Tuesday, EPRA released new pump prices where the price of Super petrol has been increased by Ksh7.58 per litre.
On the other hand, the cost of diesel and kerosene has also been increased by Ksh.7.94 and Ksh.12.97 per litre respectively.
In Nairobi, a litre of super petrol is set to cost Ksh.134.72 an increase from Ksh.127.14. Diesel will retail at Ksh.115.60 from Ksh.107.66 while kerosene will for Ksh.110.82 from Ksh.97.85.
Following the announcement, Kenyans used social media to protest the upward review, calling upon the government to intervene as they are already suffering.
“An increase in fuel prices is an increase in all other prices. If we substantially eliminated corruption, we would even lower taxes drastically. The government should review this decision given already Covid 19 has economically ravaged its citizens,” Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana opined.
Weighing in on the online protest, Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga said: “Increasing petrol price by Sh7.58 to Sh134.72 per litre in Nairobi, diesel Sh115.60 and kerosene Sh110.82 in monthly review is a record-breaking worst form of economic exploitation never seen anywhere before. Eh! This is unacceptable!”
Currently, reports indicate that matatus are planning to upward revise transport cost as a result of the new fuel prices.
