Raila responds over high fuel prices; blames it on gulf oil deal
Raila Odinga blames government oil deal with gulf countries for tremedous increase in fuel prices
Raila Odinga blames government oil deal with gulf countries for tremedous increase in fuel prices.
Leader of Azimio la Umoja Raila Odinga now claims that Kenya’s government-to-government oil agreement with gulf nations is to blame for the country’s high fuel prices.
Speaking to media on Friday, September 15 at the SKM Command Centre in Karen, Raila wondered where the Arab countries will take Kenyan shillings which are used to pay for the imported oil in the scheme.
“That is really the cause of the problem we are having when they interfered with OTS. I am talking to you as somebody who has been a minister for energy in my other earlier interactions.
“They said they are going to do a g-to-g and that they are going to pay in Kenyan shillings and you ask yourself what are the Arabs in the Middle East going to do with Kenyan shillings? The chickens are coming back home to roast,” said Raila.
Kenya in April started the government-backed fuel import credit scheme with gulf countries, which allows Kenya to import fuel on a 180-day credit period in a bid to ease the monthly demand for dollars and prop up the shilling against foreign currencies.
However, fuel prices have been on the rise, with the latest review by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority hitting a record high.
The price of petrol has now risen by over Sh16, while diesel has risen by Sh21.32 and kerosene by Sh33.13.
“The maximum allowed petroleum pump prices in Nairobi are as follows: Super Petrol increases by Sh16.96, Diesel increases by Sh21.32 per litre and Kerosene increases by Sh33.13 per litre,” Epra announced on Thursday.
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In addition, Raila Odinga dismissed Ruto’s economic interventions over the rising cost of living in the country.
The Azimio leader said that Ruto’s intervention in the agricultural sector is one of the most ambiguous, and will not lead to any solution to the rising cost of living.
He asked Kenyans to prepare for rising costs of unga (maize flour) despite a projected bumper harvest.
“As long as the government has not resolved the price of food and fuel, the cost of living will not come down. No amount of fertilizer will lower the cost of food as long as the cost of fuel remains unchecked,” Raila claimed.
According to Raila, the Kenya Kwanza administration should have lowered the cost of fuel which is largely used by farmers to power their tractors, harvesters, and other machinery.
He explained that when fuel prices go up, so do the costs of production.
This can make it more difficult for farmers to make a profit, and they may be forced to pass on the higher costs to consumers in the form of higher prices for agricultural products.
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