Bodaboda operators in Kakamega County are calling on the government to intervene on rising fuel prices, as they are saying the higher costs of fuel is making it difficult to sustain their businesses, days after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) raised pump prices for the October 15 to November 14 cycle.
The riders say rising fuel costs are eating into their daily earnings and affecting their livelihoods each day. They are urging the government to take measures to lower prices and ease the financial burden on motorcycle taxi operators and warn that further increases could hurt their businesses and reduce their daily income.
EPRA raised the maximum price of super petrol by Sh12.93 per litre, diesel by Sh9.90 and kerosene by Sh28.49. In Nairobi, petrol now costs a maximum of Sh226.96 per litre, diesel Sh227.76 and kerosene Sh219.87. Before the review, motorists in Kakamega paid up to Sh213.43 per litre for petrol and Sh217.80 for diesel under the September 15 to October 14 cycle, so riders are now paying considerably more for every litre they purchase.
EPRA said the average landed cost of imported super petrol rose by 11.81 percent from US$874.26 per cubic metre in August to US$977.55 in September, while diesel rose 11.32 percent. The government has already cut the value added tax on fuel from 16 percent to 8 percent to cushion consumers, but the increase still pushes up transport costs.
Other transport groups have raised similar conern over the fuel prices. The Matatu Owners Association asked President William Ruto to intervene, warning that operators may have to pass the costs on to passengers, while the Consumers Federation of Kenya’s affiliate COCOWA gave EPRA 14 days to revoke the new prices or face legal action. Global oil prices have added to the pressure, with Brent crude rising to a five-month high this week amid attacks on Saudi Arabia.
