No relief for motorists after EPRA increases petrol prices

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 14 – Starting mid-night, motorists will have to dig deeper into their pockets, after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority increased the price of super petrol by Sh5.77 per liter, to trade at Sh89.10.

The regulator however spared diesel and kerosene users, after it lowered the prices of the commodities by Sh3.80 and Sh17.31 per liter, respectively.

Diesel will therefore retail at Sh74.57 per liter, while kerosene will retail at Sh62.46 per liter.

EPRA said the change in the price of super petrol is a result of a 31.54 percent increase in the average landed cost of imported super petrol from US$188.70 per cubic metre in April to US$248.21 per cubic metre in May.

During the period, the average landed cost of imported diesel and kerosene however dropped by 5.58 percent and 51.84 percent, leading to a decrease in the prices of the commodities.

Pump Prices per city

In Mombasa, Super petrol will retail at Sh86.62, diesel by Sh72.09 and kerosene by Sh59.99 per liter.

Motorists in Nakuru will pay Sh88.96 for super petrol, Sh74.62 for diesel and Sh62.54 for kerosene per liter. In Eldoret, motorists will pay Sh89.94 for petrol, Sh75.59 for diesel and Sh63.51 for kerosene, while in Kisumu, super petrol will retail at Sh89.94, diesel at Sh75.58 and kerosene at Sh63.51 per liter.

EPRA Director General Pavel Oimeke said in a statement that the new prices had considered the changes effected by the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act of 2020 that made taxes and duties part of the vatable amount in the calculation of VAT for petroleum fuels.

“The objective of the fuel pricing regulations is to cap the wholesale and retail prices of petroleum products, which are already in the country, s that the importation and other prudently incurred costs are recovered, while ensuring reasonable prices to consumers,” Oimeke said.