NAIROBI, Kenya — Matatu fares have surged across several towns as a fuel shortage begins to bite, pushing transport costs higher and straining commuters already grappling with rising living expenses.
Passengers travelling between Nakuru and Nairobi are among the hardest hit, with operators significantly increasing fares in response to difficulties in accessing fuel. In Nakuru, fares that previously averaged Sh450 have climbed to nearly Sh700, with operators citing supply constraints and rising operating costs.
“We have revised our fares upwards for commuters due to the shortages and challenges we are experiencing in sourcing fuel products. For now, we usually charge Sh450 from Nakuru to Nairobi, but we are now charging Sh600,” one operator said during an interview at a petrol station in Nakuru CBD on Tuesday.
Transport operators are now calling on the government to intervene, warning that the matatu sector, which plays a central role in daily commuting and trade, is under mounting pressure.
The situation has worsened for thousands of commuters, many of whom are being forced to wait for hours to secure transport, while others are cancelling travel plans due to the sharp rise in fares.
Motorists have also reported widespread fuel shortages, saying they are moving from one petrol station to another in search of supplies. In Karatina and Nyeri, several stations have reportedly run dry, forcing motorists to opt for higher-grade fuels such as V-Power, which remain available but are significantly more expensive.
A spot check along Mombasa Road on Tuesday night indicated that several major petrol stations had run out of stock, with some redirecting motorists elsewhere. Similar scenes were reported in Kisumu, where a number of stations temporarily closed due to a lack of fuel.
Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi warned that fuel prices could rise by up to Sh14 per litre if super petrol imported outside the government-to-government arrangement enters the market.
He said a 60,000-metric-tonne consignment of super petrol had recently been brought into the country outside established importation procedures. Wandayi directed the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority to exclude the shipment from monthly petroleum cost computations.
Meanwhile, motorists have been warned to brace for a possible sharp increase in pump prices in the next review cycle. Martin Chomba, chair of the Petroleum Outlets Association of Kenya, said prices could rise by between Sh30 and Sh60 per litre in the April 14 review.
He noted the projections are based on a weighted average of fuel shipments that arrived at the Port of Mombasa between March 9 and April 10, adding that the current stability in pump prices may only be temporary as supply pressures persist.
