Murkomen, Muheria differ over soaring fuel prices

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Nyeri Archbishop Anthony Muheria have disagreed over the skyrocketing fuel prices announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra).

Archbishop Muheria on Saturday said the increased fuel prices will 'strangle the lives of Kenyans and push them further into poverty'.

He wants the government to hold a discussion with the clergy and other stakeholders to cushion citizens from the biting effects of the price hikes.

"We really need to have a discussion on whether this is what we are going to do, especially in this situation where we have an exponential increase in the price of fuel. We are really strangling the lives of our Kenyans and it is mainly the poor who will suffer.

"We need to join hands with the government and other stakeholders to find a solution to this issue by cushioning the effects of the increases," Archbishop Muheria told the media at the Secretariat of Our Lady of Consolata Cathedral in Nyeri town.

He accused leaders of not prioritising the interests of Kenyans, adding that they have addressed their plight "through lip service and rhetoric".

"Those who are already constrained are really being further constrained. For example, the cost of kerosene has gone up by Sh33. Frankly, we could have done it a bit differently because the poor are going to suffer more. It will have a terrible ripple effect," he said.

But Mr Murkomen defended the government, saying fuel prices had risen alarmingly around the world. The CS said President William Ruto's administration has tried its best to cushion Kenyans from the rising fuel prices through the government-to-government policy.

"I know Kenyans are worried because of the high fuel prices. Fuel prices have gone high all over the world. As a matter of fact, our country has been trying because we have been able to manage the cost of petroleum products through the intergovernmental agreement," Mr Murkomen said.

He was speaking at Kabiru-ini grounds in Nyeri town on Friday during the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Central Kenya Show where he represented President Ruto.

"This hike in fuel prices is a result of a global increase. The President has done everything possible to manage the cost of fuel and the Ministry of Energy has done its best," said Mr Murkomen.

"The best thing we can do at the moment to mitigate the impact of the oil price spike is to subsidise the cost of food production. The President has already subsidised production by reducing the cost of fertiliser from Sh7,000 to Sh2,500 to cushion our people from high food prices as a result of high fuel prices," he added.

Archbishop Muheria, however, maintained that a solution must be found to cushion citizens from the high cost of living caused by fuel prices.

"We understand that fuel prices are affected by global issues and that is why we are saying that a solution should be found. That is the reality, yes, but we have to find ways to give poor Kenyans some space to breathe. We have to see how we can juggle this puzzle so that the poor Kenyan is not totally suffocated. How can we give him space to survive and put food on the table?" the Archbishop asked.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has already defended the government-to-government deal, saying Kenya is now getting fuel at reduced prices.

"The government-to-government deal is working. It has eased pressure on the shilling by reducing the depreciation against the dollar," Mr Chirchir said on Friday.

On Thursday, Epra announced: "The maximum allowable petroleum pump prices in Nairobi are as follows: Super by Sh16.96, Diesel by Sh21.32 per litre and Kerosene by Sh33.13 per litre".

"The prices are inclusive of 16 per cent Value Added Tax in line with the provisions of the Finance Act 2023," it added.