Tough Times Ahead As LPG Prices Shoot By 15 Percent

The prices of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) are set to rise by at least 15 percent, setting the stage for tougher economic times.

According to reports, refilling a 6kg cylinder will cost you Ksh1,500, up from the current price of Ksh1400, while refilling a 13kg cylinder will require Ksh3,300 from the current price of Ksh3,000.

The price of LPG, mostly used in households for cooking, is not controlled by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), unlike other petroleum fuels like kerosene, petrol and diesel.

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The hike is attributed to an increase in the landed cost for crude oil, the 16 percent VAT, and a 20 percent increase in freight charges.

Currently,  a litre of super petrol is retailing at Ksh129.72, diesel at Ksh110.60, and Kerosene at Ksh103.54.

In February, motorists were saved Ksh23.29 more on a litre of diesel by a State subsidy that kept pump prices unchanged for the fourth month in a row.

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Consumers would have paid Sh133.89 for a litre of diesel in the absence of the subsidy, which cut kerosene and super petrol costs by Sh15.88 and Sh14.53 respectively.

Kenya introduced the subsidy on April 14 last year as part of efforts to defuse simmering public anger over the high cost of basic items.

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