Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – Motorists, including matatu operators, are turning to Tanzanian pumps to avoid the high prices at Kenyan petrol stations.
Last week, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) raised the price for a litre of petrol to Ksh211, a higher price than the pump price in Tanzania which stands at Ksh193.49. Diesel, on the other hand, retails at Ksh200.99 compared to Ksh196.19 in the neighbouring country.
According to Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) Chairman Peter Murima, the hiked price was destined to deny the state revenues collected through taxation.
He explained that the local purchasing power had significantly reduced due to the reduction of traffic as well as some individuals turning to Tanzania for fuel, benefitting the President Samia Suluhu-led government.
However, he advised that the benefits were short-lived since the Tanzanian Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), an equivalent of EPRA, was taking its notes from Kenya and the price is expected to surge soon.
At the beginning of August, shortly after the benchmark, Tanzania increased the prices of petroleum products by up to Ksh27 per litre.
Kenyan fuel pumps located near the border have also recorded a steep drop in sales after the mass exodus.
A pump attendant indicated that his sales had reduced from 5,000 litres a day to less than half.
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