Chirchir backtracks on Sh300 per litre fuel rise statement

Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir yesterday backtracked on his earlier statement that the cost of petrol could soar to Sh300 per litre, instead saying that the market was on its way to recovery.

Chirchir said on Monday that petrol prices could go up to Sh300 per litre should the war between Israel and Hamas continue.

Global issue

While appearing before the ongoing National Dialogue Committee hearings, Chirchir said that while rising fuel prices are a global issue, the government’s interventions had mitigated a further rise in pump prices.

But yesterday while appearing before a parliamentary committee, Chirchir accused the media of misquoting him.

“In my Monday statement, I was simply quoting an international journal which had given details on the repercussions of the conflict in the Middle East which warned that prices would double to USD 150 should the war continue,” Chirchir told members of the Energy Committee at a city hotel. “There is no cause for alarm, the government had out in place mitigation measures to cushion the consumer should the need arise,” he said.

Asked to respond to the matter, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority Managing Director Daniel Kiptoo, said that the prices were likely to stabilise in the next review which will be announced next week.