Raila: Here's why fuel prices should drop by at least Sh50 in next price review

ODM leader Raila Odinga has called on the Kenya Kwanza government to reduce fuel prices by up to Sh50, citing the drop in global prices that he said must be reflected at the pump.

He accused President William Ruto of running an insensitive government that burdens Kenyans with high taxes and fails to reduce the cost of living.

"We are aware that global fuel prices have dropped by a large margin. We demand that local pump prices are also reduced immediately. The reduction should not be by a mere Sh5 to cheat Kenyans but by as much as Sh48 to Sh50," Mr Odinga said.

He was speaking in Merrueshi Village, Kajiado East Constituency, where he attended the thanksgiving ceremony of the area MP Kakuta Maimai (ODM) on Saturday.

Murban crude oil prices - the benchmark used by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) - remained at $69.6 (Sh10,676.28) on Thursday, the lowest since July, although they rose slightly from the previous day.

Murban prices are the lowest in six months, the closest being $69.15 (Sh10,607.73) per barrel in June.

Epra set sky-high fuel prices with a litre of petrol and diesel selling for Sh217.36 and Sh203.47 respectively in Nairobi.

Combined wealth of Sh200 billion

In his speech, Mr Odinga also condemned Dr Ruto's plan to sell off 11 parastatals with a combined wealth of Sh200 billion.

Mr Odinga's ODM has already obtained a court order stopping the planned privatisation of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC), Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB), National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) and Kenya Seed Company Limited (KSC).

Others are Mwea Rice Mills Ltd (MRM), Western Kenya Rice Mills Ltd (WKRM), Numerical Machining Complex Limited (NMC), Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers Limited (KVM) and Moi University-owned Rivatex East Africa Limited (REAL).

At the same time, Mr Odinga said President Ruto's leadership had plunged the education sector into crisis at the expense of innocent learners.

"The government has compromised the future of our children through a compromised education system. This is a very serious crisis," Mr Odinga said.

He hit out at President Ruto for unfulfilled campaign promises and subjecting Kenyans to unbearable taxes.

"Kenyans are suffering, Kenyans are suffering because of the unbearable cost of living. Taxes are overwhelming and draining. Taxes on salaried workers are high compared to their salaries, their campaign promises to Kenyans were hot air," he added.

Mr Odinga continued to popularise his ODM party, urging the Maa community to join and remain loyal to the party, and slamming opposition MPs accused of being compromised by the state in parliament, calling them "sellouts".