Kenya to spend $140m to keep petrol price stable

The Kenyan government has rolled out a fresh round of fuel subsidies in a bid to prevent a rise in prices at the pump.

A litre of petrol will remain at the current price despite the recent rise in the cost of oil, eliminating fears of another hike as Kenyans grapple with the rising cost of other essential goods.

The government had earlier hinted that it could remove the subsidy ahead of its monthly review.

In June, the authorities had described the existing fuel subsidy as “unsustainable”.

However, there was a last-minute change of heart and the government authorised the spending of some $141m (£120m) to retain current retail fuel prices for another 30 days.

Without the subsidy, a litre of petrol in the Kenyan capital Nairobi would have hit $1.80. At the moment, it costs $1.34.

Over the last year, Kenya has spent over $860m to subsidise fuel in the face of rising prices in global market.

Source: BBC