Business operators in Chuka town have expressed their concerns over continued rise in fuel prices after the petrol prices rose by over twenty shillings countrywide.
In the latest maximum price review, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority has raised the price of petrol by Sh. 20.18 per litre, diesel by Sh.25.00 per litre and kerosene by Sh20.00 per litre.
The prices of petrol, diesel, and kerosene in Chuka town will now cost Sh. 180.93, Sh. 166.63 and Sh. 149.57 respectively effectively from 15th September to 14th October 2022 at Rubis fueling station.
The small-scale business people and Bodaboda operators who mostly use petrol to run their day-to-day activities and who will be impacted directly have therefore complained over this ever-increasing trend.
Willis Mugambi, the chairperson of Bodaboda operators said that they will be forced to increase their charges across the county if they have to get profit to feed their families.
“To our customers who commute across the county, kindly bear with us. We are not taking advantage of the situation but we are trying to cope with the current prices of fuel,” Mugambi said.
Mugambi added that if they maintain the previous commuting charges it means that they will not get any profit to manage their basic needs.
“To our Boda boda operators who are not members of any boda boda group kindly let us have fixed prices for commuting. Let no boda boda operator mess up with our job because we are all feeling the impact equally and suffering economically from the high prices,” Mugambi pleaded.
One driver from the Matatu sector who sought anonymity said that though the prices of fuel had been increased and there was need to increase fares immediately, they had not done so because there were students who were closing and were not aware of the situation. He however noted that soon the fares will have to be hiked.
Dennis Mutembei, a passenger said that the increase in the fuel prices was not expected and that most of the travelers are already pressed by the current commuter charges.
By Kelvin Miriti and Armstrony Munene
