Fuel crisis: Uhuru tells Ruto to stop blame game as cost of living surges
By Aloys Michael, May 25, 2026Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on President William Ruto and his administration to focus on resolving the country’s fuel crisis and rising cost of living instead of engaging in political blame games.
Speaking on Monday, May 25, 2026, during the Jubilee Party Delegates Convention in Kiambu, Uhuru said many Kenyan families are under severe financial pressure due to soaring fuel prices, expensive transport, high rent and the increasing cost of food, warning that ordinary citizens are struggling to survive as most of their earnings are consumed by basic needs.
Uhuru argued that the economic challenges facing Kenyans cannot be addressed through political rhetoric or divisions but require practical solutions and cooperation among leaders.
“The issue is simple; Kenyans are complaining because of the high cost of living. They are earning Ksh20,000; from this, Ksh8,000 goes to fuel for matatu transportation, and Ksh11,000 goes to rent. The remaining Ksh2,000 is supposed to buy food and take children to school,” he said.
At the same time, he said the burden of rising fuel prices has made transport costs unbearable for low-income earners, leaving families with almost no disposable income and pushing many into deeper economic hardship.
Uhuru urged leaders to avoid politicising the crisis and instead work together to find lasting solutions. He stressed that national problems affect all Kenyans regardless of political affiliation or ethnicity.
“Do not talk about tribalism and other things. If you want us to help solve the problem, then reach out; we solve, but blaming others will not work. Let us sit together and solve. When the country has a problem, it involves all of us,” he said.
He further noted that economic policies must deliver direct relief to citizens, saying Kenyans cannot survive on promises, speeches or political narratives while the prices of fuel and other essential commodities remain high.
“Kenyans will not eat words, education, or build roads with just talking. It does not have tribalism or anything else; it needs all Kenyans,” he added.
His remarks come amid growing public concern over rising fuel costs, with demonstrations recently reported in different parts of the country as Kenyans protested the increasing cost of living.
Ruto on fuel
Meanwhile, Ruto announced that the government has already used Ksh12.45 billion to cushion Kenyans from volatile fuel prices during the April–May pricing cycle, in a move aimed at stabilising transport and commodity costs.
Speaking during a presser on Friday, May 22, 2026, in Mombasa, Ruto stated that the funds will be used under the fuel price stabilisation mechanism to absorb global oil market shocks and ensure consumers are not subjected to sudden price increases.
“In total, we have spent Ksh12.45 billion on stabilising fuel prices in the April and May cycle,” Ruto said.
Ruto noted that the fuel crisis is a global thing, adding that countries have introduced emergency measures to address the crisis, stating that other countries have ended up instructing citizens to work from home in order to reduce fuel consumption.
He said that Kenya has stepped up to ensure that the country continues to receive a continuous supply across the country.
“We have stepped up to ensure Kenyans continue to receive a stable, continuous fuel supply within the country and to cushion Kenyans as much as possible from the full impact of this global crisis,” Ruto stated.
Ruto said in order to cushion Kenyans from the crisis, the government has used the Petroleum Development Fund to address the issue in the previous two-month cycle.
“In the last two pricing cycles alone, that is, the April and May cycles, the government has utilised 13.7 billion to cushion the consumers. This intervention is meant to protect households and businesses from unpredictable global oil price fluctuations,” Ruto said.