Aki, your next fuel station visit is about to hit different — petrol just jumped by Sh17 and diesel nearly doubled with a Sh46 increase, effective Thursday midnight. Kumbe the pump prices are getting spicier than a Nairobi traffic jam during rush hour.

The Shock That's About to Burn Your Wallet

From May 15, Super Petrol will be selling at a jaw-dropping Sh214.25 per litre in Nairobi, while diesel hits Sh242.92. Si uone — that diesel jump is absolutely brutal, sawa? The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority dropped this bombshell on Thursday, and honestly bana, motorists are about to feel this one hard. Your matatu fare? Already planning its comeback tour. Your Uber rides? Buckle up, wallets.

The culprit behind this madness is clear: global fuel costs have gone absolutely mental. The average landed cost of imported Super Petrol jumped 10 percent between March and April, but diesel? That one took the cake — a vicious 20.32 percent spike that left EPRA shaking its head. We import everything refined, so when global markets sneeze, Kenya catches the flu.

Government Throws Sh5 Billion Band-Aid on the Wound

Here's where it gets interesting — the government isn't completely leaving us hanging. EPRA announced they'll splash approximately Sh5 billion from the Petroleum Development Levy Fund to cushion both diesel and kerosene prices. Lakini, let's be real, that's like using a band-aid on a bullet wound. Something is better than nothing, ndio?

The price surge also factors in the reinstated 8 percent VAT on petroleum products, plus inflation-adjusted excise duties. EPRA says they're trying to balance letting importers recover costs while protecting consumers from being absolutely fleeced. But between you and me, this hurts — especially for delivery riders, transporters, and anyone depending on fuel to put food on the table.

What's Fueling (Pun Intended) This Price Spike

International petroleum markets went haywire in April, with Super Petrol averaging US$1,060.01 per metric tonne and diesel sitting at US$1,393.50. The Kenya shilling stayed relatively stable at around Sh129.56 to the dollar, so at least we didn't get absolutely destroyed by forex movements — small mercies, eh?

The new prices take effect from May 15 and stick around until June 14. Kerosene prices, meanwhile, remain unchanged — one tiny win in a sea of pain.

The Jukwaa Take: This fuel hike is the economy's equivalent of stepping on a LEGO barefoot — painful, unavoidable, and bound to make everyone's day significantly worse before it gets better.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya