Following intense public outcry and emergency consultations with transport sector stakeholders, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has hastily adjusted its latest fuel pricing matrix. But nobody should be fooled by the optics of this sudden “reduction.”
A closer look at the revised figures reveals a cynical game of musical chairs that protects commercial cartels while throwing ordinary citizens under the bus. This isn’t economic relief; it is a calculated distraction that fails to address the root of the problem.
1. A drop in the ocean for diesel
EPRA’s headline concession is a decision to shave Ksh. 10.06 off the price of diesel, bringing the pump price down to Ksh. 232.86 per litre. While this may pacify large-scale transport operators, for the ordinary consumer, it is a classic case of taking a mile and giving back an inch.
Lest we forget, this minor adjustment comes immediately after EPRA slapped a staggering Ksh. 46.29 increase on the exact same fuel. Leaving diesel at these historic, unsustainable highs ensures that the cost of manufacturing, agriculture, and cargo transport will remain heavily inflated. The price of food and basic commodities will continue to soar.
| Fuel Type | Original May 2026 Price | Revised May 2026 Price | Net Change |
| Super Petrol | Ksh. 214.25 | Ksh. 214.25 | Unchanged |
| Diesel | Ksh. 242.92 | Ksh. 232.86 | – Ksh. 10.06 |
| Kerosene | Ksh. 152.78 | Ksh. 191.38 | + Ksh. 38.60 |
2. Kerosene users left in the dark
Perhaps the most malicious aspect of this revision is the baffling trade-off engineered by the regulator. To seemingly offset the minor relief given to the diesel sector, kerosene has been hit with a staggering Ksh. 38.60 per litre increase, skyrocketing to Ksh. 191.38.
This decision directly targets the country’s most vulnerable populations. Millions of rural and urban poor who rely exclusively on kerosene for basic lighting and cooking are now being forced to subsidize commercial transporters. It is an unfair, regressive move that leaves low-income households completely stranded in the dark.
3. Petrol motorists completely ignored
Meanwhile, private motorists, boda boda riders, and small businesses relying on petrol-powered vehicles have been completely locked out of the conversation. Super Petrol remains entirely untouched at a painful Ksh. 214.25 per litre. For the thousands of daily commuters and small-scale entrepreneurs who keep the economy moving, this round of stakeholder talks yielded absolutely zero relief.
Time for a full reversal
The fact that the government can suddenly manipulate percentages and slash Ksh. 10 off diesel overnight exposes a glaring truth: these record-high pump prices are driven by deliberate policy choices and punitive taxation, not just volatile global market forces.
Blinking twice under public pressure reveals a reactionary, fragmented pricing strategy. Trying to quieten the country with token cuts while shifting the financial burden onto the backs of the poorest citizens will not work. For a population already pushed to the brink by an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, the position is non-negotiable: these arbitrary price hikes need to be completely rolled back. End of story.