NAIROBI, Kenya May 17 – A fresh legal challenge has been filed at the High Court seeking urgent orders to suspend the latest fuel price adjustments announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), with the petitioner arguing that the move violates the Constitution and will worsen the cost of living.

📻 Breaking It Down

In a petition lodged before the Constitutional and Human Rights Division, Francis Awino is seeking conservatory orders stopping the implementation of the revised maximum retail fuel prices for Super Petrol and Diesel covering the period between May 15 and June 14, 2026.

EPRA has been named as the first respondent in the case. Other respondents include the Cabinet Secretaries for the National Treasury and Economic Planning, Energy and Petroleum, and Investments, Trade and Industry, as well as the Attorney General, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), and the National Standards Council.

The petitioner has asked the court to certify the matter as urgent, citing what he describes as immediate and far-reaching economic consequences of the new fuel prices.

📌 What You Need to Know

Awino argues that the fuel pricing decision was made without adequate public participation, transparency, or accountability, contrary to constitutional standards governing administrative action and public finance management.

He contends that the adjustments are “opaque, unreasonable and procedurally unfair,” and therefore unconstitutional under Article 47, which guarantees fair administrative action.

The petition further argues that the revised prices will have a cascading impact on the economy, driving up transport costs, food prices, and the cost of essential goods, ultimately deepening pressure on households already struggling with inflation.

According to the court documents, the petitioner maintains that the fuel price increases infringe on socio-economic rights under Article 43 of the Constitution, particularly access to basic needs such as food, transport, and essential services.

He also cites consumer protection provisions under Article 46, arguing that Kenyans are entitled to fair, reasonable, and transparent pricing mechanisms in essential commodities.

A key request in the petition is for EPRA and the National Treasury to publicly disclose a detailed breakdown of the fuel pricing structure used in the latest review.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya