NAIROBI, Kenya — Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing it of misleading the public and engaging in what he called “secret borrowing” masked as fuel levies.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) had just announced a fresh hike in pump prices—Super Petrol up by Ksh8.99 to Ksh186.31, Diesel climbing by Ksh8.67 to Ksh171.58, and Kerosene now costing Ksh156.58 after a Ksh9.65 increase.
The Ministry of Energy blamed the jump on international oil market fluctuations.
But Nyoro wasn’t buying it.
“We saw fuel prices go up drastically yesterday, and the explanation given by the government is not accurate,” Nyoro told reporters. “Blaming global oil prices falls short of the reality. Over the past year, the highest prices we’ve seen globally were actually in mid-June 2024.”
Translation? He says this isn’t about the global market—it’s about what he alleges is a hidden financial scheme by the government.
According to Nyoro, a Ksh7 fuel levy was quietly slipped in during a period of declining global oil prices. He claimed this wasn’t just about raising revenue—it was used as collateral to secure a whopping Ksh175 billion loan, allegedly done off the books.
“This money is not reflected in the government’s books as debt. It can only pass as an illegal debt because whatever is not accounted for is illegal,” he said, accusing the administration of financial opacity.
The former Budget and Appropriations Committee chair—unceremoniously removed from that position in March—also sent a warning to banks.
“If we continue using public levies as collateral for loans without parliamentary oversight, what will stop future lenders from securitising our VAT, PAYE, or NHIF?” he asked. “What will be left of Kenya’s financial sovereignty?”
According to EPRA, several components go into monthly fuel price calculations—landed costs (like shipping and insurance) and distribution charges, among them. But Nyoro isn’t convinced those components justify the recurring spikes.
He pointed out that Kenyans are not just paying for fuel; they’re paying layered taxes, levies, and now—potentially—the cost of undisclosed borrowing.
His comments are especially significant as they shine a spotlight on the lack of transparency in Kenya’s public finance management—and the potentially dangerous precedent of mortgaging national revenue streams without scrutiny.
