Uhuru warns oil marketers supplying other countries at expense of Kenyans

Oil marketing companies that are illegally selling their fuel products to Kenya’s neighboring countries risk action from the government, President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned.

The head of state noted that the fuel crisis being experienced in some parts of the country has nothing to do with the unavailability of the product in Kenya but rather a deliberate scheme by some of the licensed marketers to take their supplies outside the country for financial gain.

“It is a criminal for some people to take the money, given as subsidy, and which doesn’t belong to me because it is Kenyan’s taxes, to instead of supplying fuel products to Kenyans, you go ahead to sell the same fuel at higher prices in other countries. We are watching you and we will take action against you. You will see action.” Warned the head of state during the Labour Day celebrations.

“This money belongs to Kenyans. It is Kenyans’ taxes and you cannot come and tell us there is no fuel in the country yet you are selling the same outside the country so that you can make profits instead of returning this benefit to Kenyan citizens.” He added

Unknown to many, President Kenyatta said his administration is one of the few in the world that has cushioned its population against rising prices of fuel.

He said Kenya’s fuel price of petrol, diesel, and kerosene currently ranks amongst the lowest in this part of the continent.

“We need to benefit our people through our taxes and through our sweat. Before assisting other countries, we ought to help our people first. That’s the truth.” He said

President Kenyatta further indicated that if his government had not instituted measures to protect the local consumers against the global increase in fuel prices, then petrol prices would have been approximately Ksh.173 per liter.

“In order to cushion our people and do so sustainably, the government has had to pay Ksh29 per liter as a subsidy in order to keep the prices at a level they are.” He said

He added that his government similarly subsidized diesel and kerosene. With the current diesel pump price going for Ksh.125.5 per liter, the lowest price of diesel in the region and beyond, he said the government had intervened and secured the commodity with a subsidy of ksh.40.2 per liter.

“If it was not for the subsidy, the price of diesel would today be K165.7 per liter or 25 percent more than the current price. Without intervention transported by diesel engine would have gone up by 25 percent.” He said

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