KIGALI - Fuel prices have increased as a result of the ongoing post-election violence in Kenya, which is Rwanda’s main transit oil products route.

A survey carried out at Kobil, Total, SP, KLSS and Merez filling stations in Kigali indicates that since January 19, petrol has increased by Frw42, diesel by Frw49, while Kerosene has increased by Frw22.

Since the weekend, the pump price of petrol has increased from Frw684 to Frw726 per litre, diesel from Frw677 to Frw726 per litre and kerosene from Frw578 to Frw600 per litre.

The latest increase follows the post-election crisis in Kenya that has paralysed the exports and imports of the East African Community (EAC)’s landlocked members.
The Minister of Commerce, Industry, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Cooperative, Protais Mitali, said that the conflict in Kenya has meant that only a limited supply of fuel can reach Rwanda from Mombasa.

At a press conference yesterday, Mitali said that since the crisis, Rwanda has been relying on reserves and has only imported one million litres of fuel in the last three weeks which had to be escorted through the most violent areas of Kenya. Rwanda needs approximately 130,000 litres of fuel per day.

According to Mitali, fuel prices in this country were still low compared to other EAC member countries.

Uganda has faced the worst fuel crisis with prices rising to approximately Ug.Shs8000 (Frw2, 600) per litre of petrol and Ug.Shs5000 (Frw1, 600) per litre of diesel in recent weeks.

On January 9, after speculations of an impending fuel crisis in Rwanda, Mitali said there was no need to panic. "There are adequate fuel reserves to take the country through the crisis,” he said in an interview with The New Times.

The government has introduced fuel rationing to sustain reserves and ensure a steady supply to citizens.

Mitali is confident that if the situation in Kenya stabilises, fuel prices will go down.
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