•Matatu Owners Association chairman Simon Kimutai says measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 coupled with the cost of spares, routine serving of vehicles, insurance and seasonal licenses makes the business costly.
•Sales volumes of petroleum products also remain low despite the steep fall in pump prices. Matatus parked at the Kencom bus station. /FILE Kenyans should not expect any drop in fares and commodity prices despite fuel prices falling to a new low, this according to passenger service vehicle operators.
Pump prices have now fallen to Sh83.33 for a litre of petrol and Sh78.37 for a litre of diesel in Nairobi, in the latest monthly price adjustment (May-June) by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
The two have dropped by Sh9.54 and Sh19.19 respectively from Sh92.87 and Sh97.56 a litre in April-May.
"The changes in this month’s prices are as a consequence of the average landed cost of imported super petrol decreasing by 3.8 per cent from $309.03 per cubic meter in March to $188.07 in April," EPRA director-general Pavel Oimeke said in a statement yesterday.
Diesel decreased by 44.04 from $432.70 to $242.13 per cubic meter.
Pump prices for Kerosene, used for lighting and cooking by poor households, has however increased by Sh2.49 to retail at Sh79.77 a litre.
"No kerosene cargo was discharged at the Port of Mombasa for the period April 10 to May 9. Therefore, the prevailing kerosene price has been maintained but with adjustments in VAT calculations," Oimeke said.
Super petrol and diesel which are key drivers of the transport and industrial sectors traded at Sh110.87 and Sh101.65 per litre in March.
Though a relief for private car owners, majority of Kenyans will continue digging deeper to move from one point to another as public service operators dismiss any chances of bringing fares down.
They argue the cost of doing business remains high in the wake of the coronavirus forcing them to uphold current fares which have increased by at least 66 per cent.Over 90 per cent of the country’s population depends on public transport with more than 60,000 licensed public service vehicles.Matatu Owners Association chairman Simon Kimutai yesterday said measures put in place to contain the spread of Covid-19 has seen Matatus cut capacity by 50 per cent.This, coupled with the cost of spares, the routine serving of vehicles, insurance and seasonal licenses makes the business costly, hence operators cannot afford to reduce fares.“The drop in fuel is nothing to the […]
