NAIROBI, Kenya – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has dismissed concerns over high fuel prices for motorists, saying those unable to afford fuel should simply stay at home.
Speaking at the Africa We Build Summit 2026 on Thursday, April 23, Museveni said his recent engagements with Kenya’s President William Ruto were not centered on pump prices, but rather on the cost and stability of aviation fuel, which he described as critical to regional economic performance.
“I would not have bothered President Ruto so much for fuel, especially people who are driving on the road. If the fuel is expensive, stay at home, where are you going,” he said.
Museveni argued that while rising pump prices affect individual motorists, the broader economic implications of expensive jet fuel are far more significant, particularly for tourism and export sectors that rely heavily on air transport.
“I’m not worried about you. What I was worried about is jet fuel, because jet fuel is not only for travel, it is also for tourism. If the cost of jet fuel is high, tourists will not come. It is also for export because aircraft are used for export.”
“People who are going to nightclubs and other things, I don’t care so much about them. If you don’t have the money, stay at home. Where are you going?”
He added that his discussions with Nairobi were aimed at aligning policy positions between Kenya and Uganda, particularly on fuel pipeline management, to ensure stable supply and pricing of aviation fuel across the region.
“That is why I engaged President Ruto, so that the governments of Kenya and Uganda can have a common voice on the pipeline, mainly because of jet fuel,” he said.
The remarks come at a time when East African economies are under pressure from rising fuel costs, which have contributed significantly to the broader cost-of-living crisis affecting households and businesses alike.
Current pricing data shows Kenya remains the most expensive fuel market in the region, with petrol retailing at approximately Sh206.97 per litre and diesel at Sh206.84.
Rwanda follows closely, with petrol at Sh203.17 and diesel at Sh194.52.
Tanzania and Uganda present relatively lower price bands, with Tanzania recording petrol at Sh189.81 and diesel at Sh189.11, while Uganda posts petrol at Sh184.55 and diesel at Sh174.10.
Ethiopia stands out as a regional outlier, with significantly lower fuel costs. Petrol at Sh109.36 and diesel at Sh115.70 making it the only country in the comparison where diesel is more expensive than petrol.
Despite mounting public concern over pump prices, Museveni maintained that policy priority should be placed on reducing the cost of jet fuel to safeguard tourism inflows and export competitiveness.
