Motorists, passengers, and households should brace themselves for tough times after the government on Sunday announced an increase to the prices of fuel.
According to the new prices released by the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) the price of a litre of super petrol had increased by Sh8.19 a litre in the latest monthly review.
Not spared were the prices of diesel and kerosene which respectively increased by Sh5.51 and Sh5.32, a litre, effective midnight.
Thus, petrol will now retail at Sh115.18 per litre in Nairobi, while diesel and kerosene will sell for Sh101.91 and Sh92.44, respectively, until the next review on March 14.
In Mombasa, a litre of petrol will cost Sh112.78, diesel Sh99.52 and kerosene Sh90.05. The products will cost Sh114.88, Sh101.81 and Sh92.36 in Nakuru and Sh115.77, Sh102.74 and Sh93.29, respectively.
Motorists in Kisumu will pay Sh115.76 for a litre of petrol, Sh102.73 for diesel and Sh93.28 for kerosene.
Epra attributed the rise in the prices to the increase in the average landed cost of importing fuel.
It says the average landed cost of importing a cubic metre of petrol rose by 20.93 per cent while that of diesel and kerosene rose by 13.64 per cent and 14.6 percent, respectively.
The higher fuel prices are set to pinch motorists further following a cut in their revenues due to the requirement to ferry fewer passengers at a time, as part of measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. Analysts fear matatu drivers could pass over the burden to passengers, while households that use kerosene will also be forced to pay more for the same amount.
It is also predicted the increase in prices will negatively impact on the prices of goods.
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