LAGOS – President William Ruto of Kenya has directed a further 10 Kenyan Shillings ($0.0772) reduction in diesel prices for the upcoming June–July cycle to cushion consumers against surging global oil prices and stabilize transport costs.
The intervention aims to lower retail diesel costs to Sh222.86 per litre in Nairobi, building directly upon a mid-May emergency price slash executed by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Speaking from State House on Friday, Ruto highlighted that severe international supply chain disruptions, triggered by escalating Middle East geopolitical conflicts involving Iran, forced heavy domestic reliance on government fiscal stabilization funds.
“I have directed that in the next pricing cycle, we’re going to further reduce the price of Diesel by a further Ksh.10 for the June/July cycle to help stabilize pump prices and provide additional relief to consumers,” Ruto stated.
The administration disclosed it has deployed Sh28.19 billion across consecutive pricing reviews to fund direct fuel subsidies, offsetting a reported 118 percent international surge in global diesel import benchmarks.
This policy shift comes immediately after a tense nationwide transport strike by matatu commuter operators and cargo haulers paralyzed urban logistical networks, generating intense political pressure regarding the high cost of living.
To fund these ongoing market interventions, the National Treasury has simultaneously cut petroleum Value Added Tax by half and initiated legislative amendments to reduce the country’s statutory road maintenance levy.
The state continues to defend its bilateral Government-to-Government fuel import framework, asserting that the model secures critical national inventory volumes despite heightened maritime risks currently impacting regional energy import structures.
