Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has moved to calm a restless nation, announcing that Kenya has secured sufficient fuel supplies through the end of July and pledging a reduction in diesel prices in the upcoming monthly review by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) scheduled for June 14.
The assurance, delivered on Wednesday following a high-level consultative meeting between the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and representatives of the manufacturing sector, comes at a time of acute economic anxiety. Millions of Kenyans are still reeling from May’s historic diesel price spike — a staggering KES 46.29 jump that pushed pump prices in Nairobi to KES 242.92 per litre and triggered a nationwide transport strike estimated to have cost the economy KES 2.5 billion daily.
“Fuel deliveries have already been secured through the end of July, ensuring uninterrupted supply and shielding Kenyans from the shortages and disruptions experienced elsewhere,” Wandayi declared.
The CS attributed the earlier price surge to severe disruptions in global maritime logistics, particularly escalating geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, which have more than doubled freight and insurance costs for petroleum shipments. However, he insisted that the government had taken decisive steps to insulate the country from further shocks.
On the question of diesel prices, Wandayi was unambiguous. Reiterating a commitment made by President William Ruto to the transport sector following the May strike, he confirmed that EPRA’s June 14 review would deliver a reduction. President Ruto had at the time specifically promised a cut of at least KES 10 per litre, though it remains unclear whether the final adjustment will exceed that figure. Currently, a litre of diesel retails at KES 232.86 in Nairobi, with super petrol at KES 214.25 and kerosene at KES 191.38.
“Lower diesel prices ultimately translate into lower costs for businesses and greater relief for Kenyan families,” Wandayi said, acknowledging that diesel remains the backbone of transport, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Beyond fuel, the CS announced parallel relief measures on electricity costs. The government has suspended a proposed electricity tariff review that would have raised power costs, and effective June 2026, electricity prices have been reduced by KES 0.2685 per kilowatt-hour — driven by a drop in foreign exchange adjustment charges, lower fuel energy costs, and increased hydropower generation.
The government’s Time-of-Use tariff programme, which incentivises industries to operate during off-peak hours at reduced electricity rates, was also highlighted as a tool to ease manufacturing costs.
Consumer federations, matatu associations, and industrialists have warned that any further upward price revision would trigger immediate industrial action. With the June 14 EPRA gazette notice now days away, CS Wandayi’s assurances are being closely watched — but for millions of Kenyans still adjusting their household budgets, only the numbers at the pump will tell the real story.
