FUEL DILEMNA

…Kenya’s fuel subsidy plan faces delay amid confusion

NAIROBI - Confusion surrounding the roll-out of a multi-billion shillings fuel subsidy scheme to cushion consumers against high prices may delay the plan as various government officials give conflicting accounts on the implementation.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter maintains the regulations to roll out the plan have been forwarded to the Attorney-General (which denies having received them) for review, while the Department of Petroleum says the regulations are yet to be completed.

A case filed by lobby group Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) has further fuelled confusion with the fate of the case challenging the increment of the petroleum development levy set to add to the list of reasons why the government may delay its planned price stabilisation plan.

“What regulations are you talking about, I haven’t seen any at the AG’s office, and I can assure you we haven’t received them,” Solicitor-General Kennedy Ogeto said in response to queries about the regulations to roll out.

Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Andrew Kamau also said the regulations were yet to be developed more than seven months since the government began collecting an additional Sh5 for every litre of diesel and petrol purchased to create a price stabilisation fund.

The fund has since hit a high of about Sh16 billion going by the monthly average consumption of fuel products since it was increased to Sh5.40 per litre.