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Ruto promises Kenyans free gas cylinders

By Nyaboga Kiage February 26th, 2023 1 min read

The government is putting in place measures to enable every Kenyan family will use gas for cooking.

President William Ruto confirmed as much at a public event in Lamu on February 26, 2023.

He said the government had pumped Sh25 billion into the project to ensure Kenyans use clean energy.

The President did not, however, set deadlines for this project.

Plans are also underway, the Head of State added, to lower the prices of gas in the country.

“We will make sure every household gets a gas cylinder issued by the government to ensure that we stop using firewood as a source of energy,” said President Ruto.

As a commitment, the President says taxes imposed on gas will be lowered to ensure every Kenyan family can ‘afford a meal’.

The pledge comes days after the President officiated the building of a re-filling plant for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) targeting to serve countries in the East African region.

The plant worth about Sh18 billion is owned by Taifa Gas, the largest LPG gas dealer in Tanzania, founded by billionaire Rostam Aziz.

The 30,000 metric tonnes storage facility is being set up at the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone in Likoni, Mombasa County.

The entry of Taifa Gas into the country is part of a bilateral trade deal between Kenya and Tanzania signed during the tenure of Ruto’s predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.

Kenyans have had to shoulder increased cost of living in the country, with prices of food, fuel and gas among those affected.

Currently refilling a 13kg gas cylinder in Nairobi costs between Sh1700 and Sh2000 depending on factors such as type and location.

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