KIAMBU, Kenya, March 8 –The cost of living for many Kenyan households will rise further as the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) increase to the highest level Monday.
The cost of cooking gas skyrocketed even as most Kenyan consumers have been calling on the national government to address the high food prices being experienced.
On Sunday, March 6, Rubis Energy informed its consumers of the looming new prices that were to set in on Monday 7, with the new prices of the 13kg cylinder gas shooting up from Sh3,113 to Sh3,440.
The 6kg cylinder will be refilled at Sh1560 up from Sh1441 while the 35 kg cylinder will be refilled at Sh8, 760 from Sh8, 191.
Prices have increased by 50 percent from January last year by Sh1000 more than three times the 16 percent VAT the government introduced on LPG.
The increased prices have been affected by an increase in the landing cost this month which is a result of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Russia which invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, is the highest producer of natural gas and for several months, Russia has been accused of intentionally disrupting gas supplies to leverage its role as a major energy supplier to Europe amid an escalating dispute with Ukraine.
An increase in fuel prices is likely to further escalate the already high cost of living in Kenya. Last month, the country’s inflation rose to 5.78 percent from 5.69 percent in January.
Speaking to KNA Fredrick Maina a resident of Kiambu town stated that “we the citizens are suffering a lot with the increased prices of cooking gas because of the Russia-Ukraine war. The price of cooking gas has really gone up. I have resulted into using a jiko because I can’t afford to refill my gas despite charcoal also being expensive”.
The consumer price index (CPI) which measures the percentage change in the price of a basket of goods and services consumed by households increased by 0.63 percent from 112.5 in January to 113.3
