Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hinted that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine is unhealthy for fuel prices.
This statement comes barely a week after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) raised petrol prices by Ksh5.72 per liter, diesel prices by Ksh4.48, and kerosene prices by Ksh2.45.
Speaking to a caucus of professionals and politicians from the Mt. Kenya region on Saturday at the Nyeri Golf Club, the second-in-command defended the government, saying the circumstances affecting fuel prices are 'beyond our control.'
"Another crisis is manifesting around the Palestinians and Israel, and that is not healthy for fuel," Gachagua said.
"Many people have blamed the administration of raising fuel prices. That is something that no respectable government can do."
He said that Kenyan prices, which reached a record high of Ksh. 217 per liter in Nairobi a week ago were comparable to those of the country's East African Community bloc neighbors.
"And again, if you check, the fuel price here per liter is similar to the price per liter in Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda...and is the same everywhere," he said.
The vice president also ruled out the government restoring a subsidy to stabilize retail petrol prices.
Gachagua believes that if a subsidy is re-established, the government will be forced to increase taxes to compensate.
"If we subsidize fuel today, we'll have to collect that money from somewhere and we will have to add more taxes..so we are saying we cannot subsidize fuel because that money will have to come from somebody, and that money would have to come from the taxpayer," he said.
