GACHAGUA TELLS KENYANS TO PREPARE FOR FURTHER INCREASE IN FUEL PRICES.

GACHAGUA TELLS KENYANS TO PREPARE FOR FURTHER INCREASE IN FUEL PRICES.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said fuel prices will keep rising due to ongoing global conflicts. Speaking to a caucus of professionals and politicians from the Mt. Kenya region on Saturday, October 21, at the Nyeri Golf Club, Gachagua said the government is not to blame for the rising fuel costs and he said that the fuel crisis was global issue which the Kenya Kwanza administration has no control over. He said this while defending the government against criticism over the recent rise in fuel prices.

Gachagua said that another crisis is manifesting around the Pelestinians and Israel which is not healthy for fuel and this will enhance the continuing of price increase of fuel in Kenya. Still on that, he also said that the price of fuel here per litre is similar to the price of fuel inTanzania, Uganda,Burundi and Rwanda which crearly states that the situation is global. He also ruled out the possibility of President William Ruto's government reistating a subsidy to stabilise retail fuel prices.

According to the reports, Gachagua's sentiments came a week after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) raised prices by 3.72 per litre,diesel prices by Ksh 4.48, and kerosene prices by Ksh 2.45. In Nairobi petrol, diesel and kerosene are retailing at Ksh 217.36, Ksh 205.47 and Ksh 205.06, effective midnight for the next 30 days. EPRA also noted that its decision to increase fuel prices took into consideration the weighted average costs of imported refined petroleum products. However, Kenyans have been protesting against the high fuel prices, most of them arguing that is has made the prices of basic commodities high.