Africa-Press – Kenya. Members of the Senate have taken an action in attempt to remedy the sharp increase in fuel prices that is worsening the already battered economy.
The August House has summoned Energy Cabinet Secretary, Charles Keter, and his Petroleum counterpart, John Munyes, after uproar from the public over the rise.
The two are expected to explain why the fuel prices experienced such a sharp spike with Kenyans expecting a surge in the cost of living.
Already, passenger service vehicles (PSVs) operators have resolved to increase fare prices unless the government moves in to mitigate the situation.
The two are scheduled to appear before the Senate in the week beginning Monday, September 20.
Some of the questions the two are expected to answer involves the depletion of money in the Petroleum Fund, which was expected to cushion Kenyans from the increase.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) had hoped that the Ministry of National Treasury and Planning would dig deeper into the fund to ease the cost of living.
On Tuesday, September 14, EPRA released fuel prices for the period between September 15 and October 14, announcing that Petrol and Diesel prices had risen by more than Ksh7.
The retail prices for petrol increased by Ksh7.58 per liter to retail at Ksh134.72 in Nairobi while diesel increased by Ksh7.94 to retail at Ksh115.
Kerosene, on the other hand, had spiked by Ksh12.97 to retail at Ksh110.2.
For months, prices for the three fuel products had remained constant retailing at Ksh127.14 for petrol, Ksh107.66 for diesel and Ksh97.85 in Nairobi thanks to the fund that seem to have run out.
In Mombasa, petrol will retail at Ksh132.46, diesel at Ksh113.36 while kerosene will sell at Ksh108.57.
The increase represents a fluctuating barrel price globally which veered between US$50 (Ksh 5,000) and US$ 70 (Ksh 7,000).
