CS Kuria says Kenyans c*mplaining about fuel prices should dri*l own oil wells

Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria has criticized Kenyans complaining about the recently announced fuel prices.

While addressing a crowd on Saturday, September 16, 2023, Kuria urged all Kenyans complaining about the changes to drill their boreholes and source their own fuel.

The vocal CS went on to state that the current economic situation is witnessed all over the world due to the increase in prices of crude oil.

He also called out Kenyans calling for anti-government protests cautioning that the move would not help lower the cost of living.

"Na watu siku hizi wanaongea kuhusu kuteremsha bei ya gharama ya maisha, bei ya gharama ya maisha haiwezi kuteremshwa kwa maandamano. Sasa naona wengine wanashinda kwa Twitter kutoka asubuhi mpaka jioni gharama ya maisha, si hio ni upumbavu?

"Kushinda kwa Twitter kutoka asubuhi mpaka jioni itakusaidia namna gani? Jameni vijana msiingie katika hio life, sasa ukieka sufuria kwa kichwa kutoka asubuhi mpaka jioni ati bei ya mafuta imeongezeka si uchimbe kisima yako. Dunia mzima tunajua bei ya crude oil imeenda juu," he stated.

This loosely translates to:

"Nowadays people speak about lowering the cost of living, the cost of living cannot be lowered through anti-government protests. I'm now seeing some camping on Twitter from morning to evening lamenting about the cost of living, isn't that stupidity?

"How will camping on Twitter from morning to evening help you? I'm asking the youths not to be into that life, if you keep lamenting about the fuel prices why not drill your own borehole Crude oil has increased in prices worldwide,"

Continuing his spiel, the outspoken CS noted that whoever knew about a borehole that had crude oil should inform him so that he can help lower the prices of fuel.

"Sisi kwetu Ruiru tutaendelea kufanya kazi kwa bidii (At our home in Ruiru, we will continue working hard)" he added.

Fuel prices

The prices of fuel recorded a significant increase in the review that was announced on Thursday, September 14, 2023.

Super Petrol in Nairobi rose to Ksh211.64, Diesel Ksh200.99, and Kerosene Ksh202.61.

While announcing the changes, EPRA Managing Director Daniel Kiptoo attributed the increase in fuel prices to a hike in the weighted average cost of imported refined petroleum products.

“The prices are inclusive of the 16% Value Added Tax (VAT) in line with the provisions of the Finance Act 2023, the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act 2020 and the revised rates for excise duty adjusted for inflation as per Legal Notice No. 194 of 2020.

“The average landed cost of imported Super Petrol increased by 4.80% from US$739.21 (Ksh107,909.88) per cubic metre in July 2023 to US$774.67 (Ksh113,086.33) per cubic metre in August 2023; Diesel increased by 12.52% from US$701.99 (Ksh1022,476.50) per cubic metre to US$789.89 (Ksh115,308.14) per cubic metre while Kerosene increased by 19.79% from US$690.58 (Ksh100,810.87) per cubic metre to US$827.26 (Ksh120,763.41) per cubic metre," he said.