Residents of Kitui county on Thursday expressed their concern over the new prices of fuel announced by Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to run till they are revised in mid-October.
The consumers lamented that the hike in the fuel prices has amplified the already high cost of living thus making the condition unbearable.
A Fuel price check by KNA in Kitui town found that local petrol stations are retailing a litre of super unleaded petrol at 181 shillings up from 161 shillings.
Similarly, prices of diesel and Kerosene per litre have also rocketed to 168 and 150 shillings respectively.
Scores of boda boda operators and other fuel customers at Kitui town, also castigated the hike in the prices.
Mr Joseph Kiema, a boda boda operator at the town said that he has been struggling to stay in the business due to high fuel prices, and with the current revisions, he will be forced to look for an alternative hustle or impose the same on the clients.
“Our customers have been complaining of the high fare we’ve been charging and with the new fuel prices, we have no options but to transfer the extra cost on them,” sobbed Dominic Mwendwa, a matatu owner at Kinatwa Sacco operating along Kitui – Nairobi route.
He noted that the Sacco management will be reviewing fares for different routes, with an aim of adjusting the fares to cover the fuel increase.
Mwendwa further lamented that with the hike in the fuel prices, prices of most commodities are likely to assume the same route due transportation cost.
EPRA recently released fuel prices guidelines, with the slashed government subsidy, resulting to the evident surge in Petroleum Product charges.
