Reprieve for motorists as fuel prices remain unchanged
Kenyans breathed a sigh of relief after Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) decided not to increase the prices of petroleum products as had been widely anticipated.
In an announcement on Wednesday, EPRA said the prices of super petrol, diesel and kerosene will remain the same for the next month until the next review on May 14.
“In the period under review, the prices of Super petrol, Diesel and Kerosene remain unchanged from the March 2021 pump prices,” a statement from EPRA read in part.
Last month the prices of super petrol, diesel, and kerosene increased by Sh7.63, Sh5.75, and Sh5.41 per litre respectively causing outrage from Kenyans already dealing with food prices.
According to EPRA, the average landed cost of imported super petrol increased by 9.27 per cent from US$449.82 per cubic metre in February to US$491.50 per cubic metre in March.
During the same period, the price of diesel rose by 4.77 per cent from US$ 423.95 per cubic metre to US$444.17 per cubic metre, while kerosene increased by 7.29 per cent from US$393.23 per cubic metre to US$ 421.90 per cubic metre.
“Over the same period, the mean monthly US Dollar to Kenya Shillings exchange rate appreciated by 0.04 per cent from Sh109.67 per dollar in February 2021 to Sh109.63 per dollar in March 2021,” the statement went on.
Fuel prices in Nairobi will still be Sh122,81 for super petrol, Sh107.66 for diesel and Sh97.85 for kerosene per litre for the next one month.
Kenyans were holding their breath after Petroleum CS John Munyes last month said fuel prices would go up due to rising global petroleum prices and local fuel pricing mechanism.