On Saturday, January 14, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) announced that the fuel prices for January 2023 had remained unchanged.
In a notice, the authority noted that Super Petrol would continue to retail at Ksh177, Diesel at Ksh162, and Kerosene at Ksh145.9 per litre - the same prices as in December 2022.
EPRA added that the Diesel price had been cross-subsidised with that of Super Petrol to cushion consumers from the skyrocketing prices.
"The prices are inclusive of the 8 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) in line with the provisions of the Finance Act 2018, the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act 2020, and the revised rates for excise duty adjusted for inflation as per Legal Notice No. 194 of 2020," EPRA announced.
Additionally, a subsidy of Ksh25.13 per litre was been maintained for Kerosene in order to cushion consumers from the otherwise high prices.
"The Government will utilise the Petroleum Development Levy to compensate oil marketing companies for the difference in cost," EPRA added.
Motorists in Nairobi will pay Ksh177.30 for Super Petrol, Ksh162 for Diesel, and Ksh145.94 for Kerosene per litre. While those in Mombasa will part with Ksh174.98 for Super Petrol, Ksh159.76 for Diesel, and Ksh143.69 for Kerosene per litre.
Those in Nakuru will pay Ksh176.62 for Super Petrol, Ksh161.83 for Diesel, and Ksh145.79 for Kerosene per litre.
On the other hand, motorists in Eldoret will part with Ksh177.50 for Super Petrol, Ksh162.72 for Diesel, and Ksh146.67 for Kerosene per litre.
"EPRA wishes to assure the public of its continued commitment to the observance of fair competition and protection of the interests of both consumers and investors in the energy and petroleum sectors," the authority concluded.
The government in the past months has been on the receiving end of complaints about the increasing cost of household commodities, especially fuel.
During the inauguration ceremony in September 2022, President William Ruto vowed to remove subsidies that have proved ineffective and costly to taxpayers.
"In addition to being very costly, consumption subsidy interventions are prone to manipulation and create uncertainty including artificial shortage," Ruto announced.
He argued that if the fuel subsidy continued to the end of the financial year, it would cost taxpayers Ksh280 billion equivalent to the entire national government development budget.
In September 2022, fuel prices hit an all-time high with Super Petrol retailing at Ksh179.30, Diesel at Ksh165, and Kerosene at Ksh147.94 per litre.
