Motorists hit again as fuel prices rise

Kenyan motorists and households dependent on kerosene are facing renewed pressure at the pump following the latest monthly fuel price review, which pushed costs higher across all three major petroleum products.

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority announced the revised pump prices, effective for the coming month, with Super Petrol in Nairobi rising to Sh214.25 per litre. Diesel, the fuel most critical to Kenya's transport and logistics sector, climbed to Sh242.92, while Kerosene — widely used for cooking and lighting in low-income households — settled at Sh152.78 per litre.

Fuel pricing in Kenya is reviewed monthly by EPRA using a formula that accounts for the landed cost of refined petroleum products, the exchange rate of the Kenyan shilling against the US dollar, and statutory levies including the Road Maintenance Levy and the Petroleum Development Levy. Global crude oil benchmarks, particularly Brent crude, remain the primary upstream driver of local prices.

The increase adds strain to an economy where fuel costs ripple directly into food prices, public transport fares, and manufacturing expenses. Matatu operators and long-haul truckers, who transport goods across Kenya's Northern Corridor linking Mombasa to landlocked neighbours Uganda, Rwanda, and beyond, are particularly exposed to diesel fluctuations.

Kenya has historically struggled with fuel subsidy management. A government subsidy programme introduced in 2022 to cushion consumers during a period of record global oil prices was wound down by the Ruto administration in 2023 as part of broader fiscal consolidation. Since then, pump prices have tracked international markets more directly. Consumer advocacy groups have renewed calls for a review of the levy structure to provide relief without returning to costly subsidies.