President William Ruto has refused to take credit for the reduced fuel prices announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
Speaking in a thanksgiving mass in Kisii County on Saturday, December 16, the president said he had not in any way contributed to the fallen prices.
According to him, the government only reports the figures as received from the foreign countries exporting oil to Kenya.
“Don’t praise me, I did nothing to reduce the fuel prices, I am not responsible for the increase and decrease in the prices,” said Ruto.
“Those who own oil firms determine the prices and then supply us with the figures every month,” added Ruto.
Also Read: UDA MP Booed in Ruto’s Presence Over Fuel Remarks
Meanwhile, Ruto announced that the fuel prices will reduce further in January 2024.
Revisiting his remarks in November, the Head of State assured that the prices are bound to fall further just as he had promised in the previous cycle.
“I promised you last month (November) that the fuel prices will reduce, and this happened. I am promising you again that the fuel prices will reduce further next month,” he said.
In response to critics pressuring the government to slash fuel prices further, Ruto asked such leaders to be honest with the public.
According to him, the role of determining the price of fuel products is beyond his purview as the head of state.
“There are some people asking me to reduce the fuel prices from the current prices to Ksh.150, how will I do it. I don’t determine the prices of fuel, let us be honest,” stated Ruto.
Raila Demands
In a past event, opposition leader Raila Odinga mounted pressure on the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to reduce fuel prices.
Speaking during an ODM recruitment drive in Kajiado County on Saturday, December 9, the Azimio leader asked the authority to reduce the price of fuel per liter by Ksh 45 0r Ksh50.
“We have information that global prices have gone down. This month the fuel prices must go down by Ksh45 to Ksh50 per liter,” stated the opposition leader.”
Also Read: David Ndii Locks Horns with Pauline Njoroge Over EPRA Formula
Recent Review
In the latest EPRA review, the price of one liter of petrol decreased by Ksh5, while that of diesel went down by Ksh2, and kerosene by Ksh4.01.
EPRA set the price of Super Petrol at Kshs.212.36 in Nairobi, while Diesel and Kerosene will retail at Ksh201.47 and 199.05 respectively.