We moved from blaming COVID-19 recently, and the devastating Russia-Ukraine war and drought and heat are lonely dying off in the tongues of men – Politicians or government people if you like it; presidents, prime ministers, cabinet secretaries, and the interrelated or Co, especially from Africa. East Africa, precisely.
People moved on, you know .., my friend. We are now blaming the dollar shortage and the complex and deadlocked Israel-Palestine conflict between Israeli soldiers and the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza, a territory they have been illegally governing since 2007 after a coup d’état against their government.
It is not only that. There are other specific problems like hiked central bank rates amidst tight debt repayment strategies, which are heaters and, at the same time, coolers of the prevailing already-hot economic conditions.
All these factors, significantly the former, have shaken international oil prices in one way or another by disrupting the supply chain on one hand and cutting the citizens’ purchasing power on the other.
When the oil and gas industry sees a price rise, it influences the primary cost of production, impacting the production-consumption chain of the finished goods in an economy, thus limiting consumers from buying more, and energy producers and marketers will sell less.
The most affected are the motorists, especially the ones who own personal cars and drive to work daily because drivers and operators in the public transportation sector, like buses and PSV matatus, pass the cost slightly to riders. Let’s just say everybody is hurting at the end, but looking closely at East Africa’s setup will show you that Kenyans and Ugandans are bearing a heavier burden when comparing their fuel prices today with their neighbor, Tanzania.
What is the current price of fuel in Kenya?
“In the period under review, the maximum allowed petroleum pump price for super petrol, diesel, and kerosene decreased by Ksh5, Ksh2, and Ksh4.01 per litre, respectively. In Nairobi, Super Petrol, Diesel, and Kerosene will now retail at Ksh212.36, Ksh201.47 & Ksh199.05 effective midnight for the next 30 days.” Kenya’s energy and Petroleum regulator EPRA updated fuel prices today until January 14, 2024.
Around the country, fuel prices are averaging between Ksh211.72 and Ksh214.11. Mombasa is where you will get the cheapest petrol at Ksh209.3/litre, nearly one shilling less than its neighboring Malindi, Kwale, and Likoni, whereby gas prices average Ksh210.00.
A litre of diesel costs Ksh198.41 in Mombasa, Ksh199.18 in Kilifi, and Ksh198.79 in Kwale and Likoni Mainland.
In Eldoret, super petrol is Ksh212.12 per litre and Ksh211.35 in Nakuru, where diesel and kerosine are Ksh200.88 and Ksh198.46, respectively.
Consumers are seeing fuel prices that are lower from the previous Ksh217.36 per litre of petrol, Ksh203.47/litre diesel, and Ksh203.06 per one litre of kerosene, in the period to December 14, 2023.
Petroleum prices are falling in the international market due to high production and decreased landed cost of super petrol, but not going down sharply in Kenya because of the new 16% Value Added Tax (VAT) brought by the Finance Act, EPRA says.
How much is petrol in other countries – Kenya vs Uganda and Tanzania?
Today, Uganda has the highest price of gas in East Africa, with the national average of regular petrol at Ush5,450 (Ksh221.51). That’s four percent more than in Kenya, where the same product costs Ksh212.36 in Nairobi.
Of the two East African countries, fuel prices are lower in Tanzania, and according to a public notice posted by the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), through December, motorists in Dar es Salaam will be filling up each litre of petrol at Tsh3,158 (Ksh201.26), Tsh3,204 (Ksh197.93) in Tanga and Tsh3,231 at the southeastern city of Mtwara.
Check the difference in the latest fuel prices in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania as listed by information portal OilPricez:
| No. | Country | Cost of petrol | Cost of diesel |
| 1 | Uganda | $1.44 per litre | $1.38 per litre |
| 2 | Kenya | $1.38 per litre | $1.31 per litre |
| 3 | Tanzania | $1.26 per litre | $1.28 per litre |
N/B: Fuel price differences are arranged from the most expensive to the least>
