EPRA Reveals April Fuel Prices

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has announced the fuel prices for the period between Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, May 14.

In the latest monthly review, the price of super petrol diesel and kerosene will be unchanged.

Super Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene will remain retailing at Ksh179.3, Ksh162 and Ksh145.94, respectively, in Nairobi.

"In the period under review, the maximum allowed petroleum pump price of Super Petrol, diesel, and kerosene remain unchanged," EPRA stated.

The new prices will take effect from Friday, April 14 at midnight.

Motorists in Mombasa will pay Ksh176.98 for Super Petrol, Ksh159.76 for diesel, and Ksh143.69 for Kerosene per litre.

Their counterparts in Nakuru will pay Ksh178.62 for Super Petrol, Ksh161.83 for diesel, and Ksh145.79 for Kerosene per litre while those in Kisumu will part with Ksh179.50 for Super Petrol, Ksh162.70 for diesel and Ksh146.66 for Kerosene per litre.

In the last monthly review, the price of Super Petrol retailed at Ksh179.3 per litre in Nairobi - an increase of Ksh2 per litre compared to the previous month's price of Ksh177.3.

EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo on Friday, April 14 dismissed the possibility of 160,000 metric tonnes of fuel received on Thursday, April 13 under the Government-Government agreement having an effect on the computation of monthly fuel prices.

During an interview with the Business Daily, Kiptoo noted that the new government deal will mainly be used to address the crisis concerning the dollar shortage in Kenya.

He explained that only the landing cost, paid in dollars, will be subjected to change and that the fuel pricing formula used by the regulator would not be affected in the deal that saw the first consignment of fuel arrive on Thursday and be received by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

"This is because price build-up remains the same. The only change will be in the landed cost, which is the biggest cost and is paid in dollars. But now oil marketers will pay importers in Kenya shillings.

"However, instead of having different rates for freight and premium for eight cargoes as it happens in the Open Tendering System (OTS), we will have the same rates for three grades — super, diesel and jet," he stated.

Kiptoo however noted that the freight and premiums will change as the government will be doing freight and premium across three cargoes at the same time.

"What will change is the freight and premium because we will not be doing freight and premium for individual cargoes but it will be uniform across three cargoes because there is only one supplier," he added.

In terms of the government-to-government deal, Kiptoo revealed that it would be reviewed in December and if the economy stabilises or the dollar shortage is resolved, the government will have the option to revert to the open tendering system or extend the deal.

"We will be able to revert to the OTS if and when conditions allow us, remember, we are using petroleum to solve the dollar issue. What we did is that as per the Petroleum Act and regulations, we have just exercised the other option which is the flexibility to use OTS or a government-backed deal," he added.