A shortage of Kerosene has hit Kilifi, Kaloleni and most rural towns for the past week in Kilifi County forcing residents to resort to alternative sources of power for their domestic use.
All the 12 petrol stations in Kilifi town and four in Kaloleni have been without the commodity for the past week according to managers and attendants manning the service stations.
The respective Managers of Kilifi Filling station and Kobil Kilifi Messrs, Mohamed Hussein and Sharif Ali said they have been making fruitless efforts to get the commodity from the Mombasa depot for the past week.
“We have been sending our fuel tank vehicles which also carry kerosene for the past one week but come back with only petrol and diesel. Kerosene seem to be scarce even in Mombasa as they come back without the commodity”, they said.
Managers in the other service stations in the towns said they have also been facing similar situations when they make orders for the commodity from the Mombasa depot where they are usually supplied from.
Kerosene users in Kilifi town said they have been moving from one service station to another but in vain forcing them to resort to use of charcoal and gas for cooking.
50- year old Mwanaisha Bakari told the press that she has been using kerosene for cooking throughout her life and wondered why the commodity has suddenly disappeared from the market.
“I have a jiko which I rarely use but I may now be forced to use it even though it also requires a bit of kerosene to light the charcoal. Urgent measures should be taken by the suppliers concerned to have it back to the market”, she said.
Other kerosene users in Kilifi and Kaloleni towns said they normally purchase adequate fuel to last them a month and that they will be in the same crisis from next week if the commodity is not supplied to the areas.
By Harrison Yeri
