Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has dismissed claims linking the government to the recent surge in fuel prices, warning that such accusations amount to incitement and misinformation.

Speaking on Monday, May 18, 2026, during a consultative forum with Tharaka Constituency grassroots leaders, Kindiki said it was misleading and inflammatory for anyone to blame the Kenya Kwanza administration for a crisis driven by global factors.

“I want to challenge the people who are saying the government is responsible for the hike in fuel prices to look at Kenyans in the eyes and tell them which countries in the world today have not recorded an increase,” Kindiki said.

“There is no single nation on earth, including oil-producing countries like the United States, that has not been affected.”

He maintained that while global economic pressures were driving up fuel costs, the government had not abandoned citizens.

“This problem, even though global, we have not just sat down to watch Kenyans suffer,” he said.

“We must tell Kenyans the truth; there are some measures the government has taken to contain the spike. The price would have gone up to Ksh300 or Ksh400 per litre.”

Kindiki said the government had introduced interventions to cushion consumers, including reducing Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel from 16 per cent to eight per cent.

“We have reduced the VAT from 16 per cent to eight per cent as the first measure,” he said.

Kindiki scoff at critics

He also defended taxation on fuel products, arguing it is necessary to fund essential services.

“We need tax. People cannot say we remove all the taxes and then tomorrow demand roads, water and health services,” Kindiki stated.

“All governments in the world are run by taxes collected.”

The Deputy President further disclosed that the government had injected Ksh12 billion into the fuel stabilisation programme to help contain price increases.

“We have also injected Ksh 12 billion as a stabilisation fund to contain the prices, but the prices still soar,” he said.

“We will take more measures so that the prices do not continue rising.”

Kindiki also pointed to earlier efforts by the Kenya Kwanza administration to reduce fuel prices after taking office in 2022.

“We had tried to reduce fuel prices since 2022,” he said.

“Every month we used to reduce slowly from Ksh 218 per litre when we took office to Ksh170 per litre. It was a drastic reduction of over Ksh40.”

However, he said the progress was disrupted by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

“But when we were progressing, war started in Iran, and we all know about it,” Kindiki said.

“That war pitting the US and Israel versus Iran, where the war is, is where we get our fuel.”

 LSK threats on fuel 

As Kindiki defends the government, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has issued its most aggressive intervention yet in the worsening energy crisis, threatening immediate constitutional litigation if the government fails to reverse what it calls arbitrary and disproportionate fuel and electricity pricing.

This, even as street protests spread nationwide and matatu operators push for the complete removal of VAT on petroleum products.

In a statement on Monday, May 18, 2026, the LSK accused the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), the Ministry of Energy, and the National Treasury of imposing economic strain through a series of administrative and regulatory decisions that have shattered household budgets and crippled key sectors.

“The cumulative effect of these measures has imposed a disproportionate and economically unsustainable burden on Kenyan households, businesses, manufacturers, transport operators, and other productive sectors,” the LSK statement read in part.

Diesel prices in Nairobi have surged by Ksh46.29 per litre to Ksh242.92, while super petrol now retails at Ksh 214.25 per litre, increases the LSK says were implemented without meaningful public participation or transparent disclosure of underlying fiscal considerations.

LSK’s pronouncements come amid growing pressure on Parliament following a formal appeal by Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro, who has urged the Speaker of the National Assembly to recall the House from recess to urgently deliberate on proposed tax amendments aimed at reducing fuel prices.

Nyoro requested on Saturday, May 15, 2026, shortly after EPRA announced a sharp rise in pump prices.

Nyoro said the recall would allow MPs to consider urgent reforms, including reducing Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel from 8 per cent to zero, lowering the Road Maintenance Levy, and introducing targeted relief measures to cushion consumers from escalating transport costs.

“Following our proposal to amend various laws with the aim of reducing fuel prices, we have written to the Speaker of the National Assembly with a request to recall the House from recess at the earliest, preferably Monday, to process the various proposed amendments,” he stated on his X account.

Moreover, the society has demanded demand for an urgent update on investigations into adulterated fuel reported to contain high levels of Sulphur, fuel that is claimed to have caused mechanical failures across the country.

The LSK has also demanded the arrest and prosecution of top Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) officials linked to the procurement irregularities.

“Specifically, an update on the status of the arrest and prosecutions of the top KPC officials involved in the irregularities related to the procurement of the fuel that has seen diesel prices surge to levels never before experienced,” the LSK declared.