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No relief at the pumps for motorists and households

FUEL

An attendant fills up a tank at a petrol station in Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Motorists and households will have to dig deeper into their pockets following a sharp increase in petroleum prices on Sunday.

Super petrol increased by Sh2.13, diesel Sh2.39 while kerosene shot up by Sh3.36 per litre respectively, highlighting the pain that motorists and poor households will have to bear at the pump stations for the next 30 days.

The maximum pump prices in Kenya rose for the fifth straight month in the January fuel review by the energy regulator.

In the month of December, the price of super petrol jumped the most by Sh1.47 per litre, while diesel and kerosene added Sh0.03 and Sh0.19 per litre respectively.

“The changes in this month prices have been as a consequence of the average landed of imported Super Petrol increasing by 3.99 per cent from US$636.22 per tonne in November 2017 to US $661.63 per tonne in December 2017,” Pavel Oimeke, the Energy Regulatory Commission director-general, said while releasing the fuel prices that will run from January 14, 2018 to February 14, 2018.

The cost of importing increased by 4.63 per cent from US$543.63 per tonne to US$568.82 per tonne and kerosene increasing by 6.36 per cent from US$579.64 per tonne to US616.51 per tonne.

READ: Petrol users to pay oil marketers Sh945m

The ERC, which sets fuels prices across the country every mid-month, said Nairobi motorists will for the next one month pay Sh106 per litre of petrol at the pump and Sh94.82 for diesel.

Consumers will obtain the same commodity at Sh103.01 in Mombasa (cheapest location) and Sh114.55 in Wajir, which is the most expensive market for petroleum products in Kenya.

Kerosene, which is used mainly by poor households for lighting and cooking, will retail at Sh74.78 in Nairobi, Sh72.01 in Mombasa and Sh83.03 per litre in Wajir. Diesel, used mainly by farmers and transporters, will retail at between Sh94.82 in Nairobi, Sh91.55 in Mombasa and Sh103.08 per litre in Wajir.

READ: Fuel prices set to be uniform in all towns

Petrol will retail at Sh106.99 in Nakuru, Sh108.17 in Eldoret and Sh110.33 per litre at the border town of Isebania.

“The commission wishes to assure the general public of its continued commitment to the observance of fair competition and protection of the interest of both consumers and investors in the energy sector,” Mr Oimeke said. The government started setting fuel prices in 2010 after prices shot up.

Kenya, which is yet to start processing or exporting its oil deposits, is a net petroleum importer and changes in fuel prices have a significant impact on inflation.