PSVs to raise fares after the fuel price increase

By Martin Ronoh

Following last week’s fuel price surge, Public Service Vehicle (PSV) providers have raised their fares by 20%. According to the Federation of Public Transport Sector, beginning today, the nationwide rate increase would strike every PSV operation across the country to account for recent fuel price increases.

“The federation hereby resolves that with effect from Monday, June 20, 2022 fares payable on public transport vehicles countrywide shall be adjusted upwards by 20 percent,” said the federation chairperson Edwins Mukabanah.

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) raised pump prices by Sh9 per litre last week, raising the cost of super and diesel to Sh159.12 and Sh140, respectively, the highest in Kenya’s history. The price is expected to rise much further as the National Treasury plans to phase out the fuel subsidy which now covers Ksh.25.56 for super petrol consumers, Ksh.48.19 for diesel, and Ksh.42.43 for kerosene.

Similarly, the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) has requested its members across the nation to raise transportation prices, claiming that the existing fares are unsustainable due to fuel price increases.

“For us to be able to survive, I mean if we continue to charge the same fare, it is unsustainable and very costly and what will happen is that I have advised my members to adjust the fare and there is nothing else. For us to be able to provide services we must increase the fare,” Matatu Owners Association (MOA) chairman Simon Kimutai stated.

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Kimutai further urged the government not to scrap the fuel subsidy that has been cushioning Kenyans from rising fuel prices.

“It is going to go up, people at one time will pay double fares. You cannot caution, if the government itself is even thinking of removing subsidies of fuel, so who are we to be able to hold this,” Kimutai added.

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