Ruto vows to ‘fix’ petrol prices
President William Ruto has told Kenyans to expect the price of fuel to reduce further in the next review.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) is expected to announce the new petrol prices on March 14, 2023.
Speaking in Kericho County, where he launched development projects, the Head of State told residents he is not done lowering fuel prices in the country.
“Hata bei ya mafuta inateremka chini, nyinyi relax. Hiyo maneno iko sawa. Si leo ni tarehe ngapi, itatangazwa leo bei ngine mpya, relax. Niliwaambia hii maneno nitanyorosha (even the price of fuel is dropping, relax. You know very well the date, the new price will be announced. I told I will fix this),” said the Head of State.
Kenyans are currently paying the highest fuel prices in the country’s history, with a litre of petrol retailing at Sh207 in Nairobi while a similar quantity of diesel is selling at about Sh10 less.
President Ruto has in the past blamed the increase in fuel prices to international factors and speaking in Kericho a few months ago, suggested he has no powers to control the prices of the precious commodity.
In June 2023, the government added a 8% VAT increase on fuel products prompting an increase in petrol prices.
On the issues of tea-plucking machines which has been a bone of contention between Kericho residents and the tea plantation managements in the area, the President said he will address the issue with the management even as he continue creating employment opportunities for Kenyans.
This is despite the residents shouting that “machines should go”, claiming they have been rendered jobless since the plantations opted for machines to pluck tea.
“Besides plucking tea, I want to create job opportunities, that is why you can see that I have made arrangement on digital jobs, affordable housing but I will talk with them to slow on this machines until we agree.” President said.
He was accompanied by a number of leaders from the county, including Kericho governor Erick Mutai, area MP Nelson Koech among others.
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