The cost of cooking gas in Kenya has increased for about two weeks after the country’s Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) revised upwards fuel prices.Dealers attributed the rise in prices of the product, widely used by many Kenyan families especially in urban areas, to the increase in fuel prices. In the capital Nairobi, a 13kg cylinder of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is currently retailing at petrol stations and supermarkets, which act as marketing outlets, at an average of 32 U.S. dollars, up from 30 dollars two weeks ago. Similarly, a 6kg cylinder is retailing at 15.4 dollars, up from 14 dollars. On the other hand, independent suppliers in various suburbs in the city are selling the commodity at slightly lower prices. A 13kg cylinder of various brands of the product is going for an average of 30 dollars and a 6kg cylinder at 14 dollars. The dealers were selling the commodity early this month at 28 dollars and 12.6 dollars, respectively.ERC on Sept. 14 increased fuel pump prices in the east African nation by at least 0.03 U.S. dollars, citing rise in the cost of Murban crude oil in the international market. The regulator raised the price of a liter of super petrol in Nairobi by 0.03 dollars to 1.29 dollars. Similarly, the cost of a liter of diesel rose by 0.04 dollars to 1.2 dollars and kerosene by 0.06 dollars to 0.95 dollars a liter.”Prices of crude and refined petroleum products in the international market have been on an upward trend in the last three months. This is the cause of the upward adjustments of the retail pump prices,” ERC Director General Kaburu Mwirichia said.The regulator noted the cost of imported super petrol increased by 2.76 percent, from 997.52 dollars per tonne in July to 1,025.05 dollars per tonne in August. The high fuel prices have in turn pushed up the price of LPG, which had dropped in August to a 12-month low, enabling many consumers to afford the clean energy for domestic use.Agencies
