A sharp increase in fuel prices announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has triggered a wave of political criticism, with Kisumu County Woman Representative Ruth Odinga accusing the government of betraying Kenyans and warning of a deepening cost-of-living crisis.
EPRA’s latest monthly review saw diesel prices rise significantly, with some regions recording steep adjustments that have immediately pushed up transport and production costs. The increases, among the highest in recent months, have revived public anger over what critics say is a widening gap between government assurances and lived economic realities.
In a strongly worded statement, Ruth said the fuel adjustments had effectively transferred the burden of global and domestic energy pressures directly onto households already struggling with inflation.
“Yesterday’s announcement by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority to drastically increase fuel prices, with diesel jumping by a staggering margin, is a direct assault on the livelihoods of every Kenyan,” she said. “It is an economic burden.”
Her remarks come at a time when the government has repeatedly defended its fuel import arrangement under the Government-to-Government (G2G) oil procurement deal, which officials have argued was designed to stabilise prices, reduce forex pressure and shield consumers from volatile global oil markets.
But Ruth dismissed those assurances, arguing that the policy has failed to deliver on its core promise.
“For weeks, the Ministry of Energy has created a rosy and utopian picture of our energy sector,” she said. “We were told the Government-to-Government deal was a shield that would protect us from global shocks. We were promised stability. Today, that shield has proven to be made of glass.”
Her criticism reflects growing unease among sections of the opposition and civil society, who have questioned whether the G2G arrangement has achieved its intended objective or merely reshaped supply chains without insulating consumers from global price swings.
The latest fuel review has also reignited debate over transparency in pricing and the role of intermediaries in Kenya’s oil importation system. Analysts note that while global crude prices have fluctuated moderately, domestic adjustments have at times appeared disproportionate, raising questions about landing costs, exchange rate assumptions and distribution margins.
Ruth said it was “deeply dishonest” for government officials to continue offering public assurances of stability while Kenyans faced what she described as one of the steepest monthly increases in recent history.
“It is deeply dishonest for a minister to offer daily assurances of price stability only to preside over the largest single-month hike in recent history,” she said. “This administration must realise that you cannot feed a nation on rosy PR while their kitchens are empty.”
Fuel prices in Kenya are closely tied to the cost of transport, food distribution and agricultural production. Diesel, in particular, plays a central role in powering freight trucks, farming equipment, irrigation systems and manufacturing logistics, meaning any upward adjustment typically triggers a ripple effect across the economy.
Ruth warned that the impact would be felt most acutely in rural and low-income households, where fuel-dependent production systems are central to livelihoods.
“By hiking the price of diesel, the very engine of our economy, the government has effectively increased the price of every plate of food in this country,” she said.
She singled out farmers and transport operators as the immediate casualties of the price changes, arguing that production costs would become unsustainable and transport fares would inevitably rise.
“To our farmers, this hike means the cost of ploughing and irrigation has become unbearable,” she said. “To our transporters, the inevitable rise in fares will see many of our people walking to work because they can no longer afford the bus.”
Commuters in Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa and other urban centres have already reported anticipatory fare increases in the wake of the EPRA announcement, with matatu operators citing higher diesel costs and reduced margins.
Economists warn that sustained increases in fuel prices could compound inflationary pressures that have already strained household budgets. Kenya has experienced persistent rises in the cost of basic commodities, including maize flour, milk and sugar, driven by a combination of currency depreciation, supply chain disruptions and climatic shocks affecting agricultural output.
Ruth linked the fuel hike directly to household food prices, arguing that policy decisions at the energy level quickly cascade into the kitchen.
“Let’s talk about our households,” she said. “When diesel goes up, the price of unga, milk and sugar follows immediately. We are staring at a humanitarian crisis where the cost of living is being driven by policy, not just market forces.”
Her statement also raised allegations of vested interests influencing fuel pricing decisions, calling on the government to provide clarity on whether market dynamics or private sector influence were driving the increases.
“We demand that the government comes clean,” she said. “Kenyans deserve to know the truth: is this hike a genuine reflection of economic necessity, or has the state succumbed to the greedy whims of opportunistic oil marketers?”
Kenya’s petroleum sector has long been characterised by debates over import costs, exchange rate volatility and the role of major oil marketing companies. Successive administrations have attempted reforms aimed at stabilising prices and improving transparency, but consumers continue to face periodic spikes that often trigger political backlash.
Ruth also questioned the effectiveness of the G2G oil procurement arrangement, asking why prices remain high despite the government’s direct sourcing strategy intended to eliminate intermediaries and reduce costs.
“If the G2G deal was meant to eliminate the middleman and stabilise the shilling, why are we paying record-breaking prices?” she said. “The government must explain why they have allowed the interests of a few powerful cartels in the oil sector to override the survival of 50 million Kenyans.”
The reference to cartels echoes longstanding political accusations that a small group of importers and distributors exert disproportionate influence over Kenya’s fuel supply chain, a claim that has repeatedly surfaced in parliamentary debates and public protests but has rarely been conclusively proven.
The Ministry of Energy has in the past defended its reforms, arguing that the G2G framework was introduced to reduce foreign exchange pressure, improve supply reliability and stabilise long-term pricing. Officials have also pointed to global oil market volatility and currency fluctuations as key drivers of domestic fuel costs.
However, critics argue that the expected consumer relief has not materialised at the pump.
Ruth called for an immediate review of the pricing structure and urged the government to introduce emergency measures to cushion households and businesses from further strain.
“We cannot continue to be a nation of assurances that lead only to agony,” she said. “The government must immediately re-evaluate these prices and offer a genuine cushion to the people—not through empty words, but through actionable relief.”
