NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 19 – Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi has urged legislators to rise to the occassion and save Kenyans from the consistent sharp rise in fuel prices.
Mudavadi said the government’s decision to consistently increase fuel prices is unfair to Kenyans particularly when most are struggling with the harsh economic times occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a church service at the Methodist Church in Kenya, Chabuene, in Meru County, Mudavadi said the current fuel price increment, is the highest recorded in 10 years, signals tough times ahead across many sectors of the economy.
“Since the recording of the first case of Covid-19 in Kenya in March 2020, Kenyans have been negatively hit and the situation keeps deteriorating. Families around the country are in distress as many bread winners have lost their jobs as businesses continue to shut down. Many Kenyans today do not have a source of income,” Mudavadi said.
Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala who was also in attendance decried the fuel price cost stating that the trickledown effect in regards to cost of food and other essential commodities will be unbearable for many Kenyans.
He also blamed the current situation to a failed opposition which he noted ought to fight for Kenyans but is non-existent.
“It is disheartening that instead of the Government giving Kenyans a soft landing as they struggle to pull through the hard economic times, it has decided to burden them more by increasing the cost of fuel and kerosene. This represents highest price increase to hit Kenyans in over a decade,” said Malala, “The Government must understand that this is not the time to push the resilient Kenyans to the edge of the cliff. It is a time to help them navigate through the high cost of living.”
Last week, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka directed the Energy Committee to summon Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter and his Petroleum counterpart Peter Munyes to appear before the Committee of the whole House on Tuesday over the hike in fuel prices.