President William Ruto has announced an additional Sh10 reduction in diesel prices in the next fuel pricing cycle, following high-stakes talks with transport sector stakeholders at State House, Mombasa, on Friday.
The announcement marks a significant development in the ongoing standoff between the government and matatu operators, who had threatened to resume a nationwide strike over soaring fuel prices and rising operating costs. The meeting, attended by key transport sector leaders, focused on identifying concrete measures the government can take to cushion both consumers and businesses from the impact of escalating fuel costs.
The additional price cut comes on top of an earlier Sh10.06 per litre reduction in diesel prices that had been announced the previous week, a concession that operators had initially dismissed as insufficient, having demanded a reduction of between Sh30 and Sh35 per litre.
Following the Mombasa consultations, matatu operators officially called off their planned strike, offering Kenyans relief after days of transport disruptions that had forced thousands of commuters to walk long distances to work and caused widespread economic disruption across the country.
The government now faces the longer task of addressing the structural fuel taxation issues that triggered the crisis in the first place.
The announcement marks a significant development in the ongoing standoff between the government and matatu operators, who had threatened to resume a nationwide strike over soaring fuel prices and rising operating costs. The meeting, attended by key transport sector leaders, focused on identifying concrete measures the government can take to cushion both consumers and businesses from the impact of escalating fuel costs.
The additional price cut comes on top of an earlier Sh10.06 per litre reduction in diesel prices that had been announced the previous week, a concession that operators had initially dismissed as insufficient, having demanded a reduction of between Sh30 and Sh35 per litre.
Following the Mombasa consultations, matatu operators officially called off their planned strike, offering Kenyans relief after days of transport disruptions that had forced thousands of commuters to walk long distances to work and caused widespread economic disruption across the country.
The government now faces the longer task of addressing the structural fuel taxation issues that triggered the crisis in the first place.
