The High Court has issued conservatory orders barring the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) from reviewing fuel prices upward.
This follows the hearing and determination of a petition filed by Kituo Cha Sheria that has moved to court to prevent EPRA from revising this month’s pump prices as its price is already unbearable for Kenyans.
Through the organization’s Director of Legal Affairs, Annette Mbogoh, the organization stated that fuel prices in Kenya have reached historical heights, causing concern and economic strains for both citizens and businesses.
”The petitioner contends that the high fuel prices have resulted in very high and unaffordable transport costs for both private and public means of transport,” read the court ruling in part.
According to Kituo Cha Sheria, Kenyans stand to suffer irreparable loss and great inconvenience if EPRA and the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum are not ordered to scale down fuel prices that it says urgently have resulted in slowed economic growth, decline in living standards as well as high inflation rates.
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Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir had, while appearing before the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) attributed the skyrocketing cost of fuel to the Israel-Hamas war.
Chirchir told NADCO that fuel prices could get to Kes 300 in the coming months should the war in the Middle East persist.
Kituo Cha Sheria in its submission, however, says that Chirchir had in a presser avert that the government had put modalities to cushion Kenyans from the high pump prices, a contradiction to his statement while appearing before NADCO.
