The Matatu Owners Association (MOA) has announced a 20 percent increase in fare prices immediately along all the routes following a hike in fuel prices.
The 20 percent fare increase due to rising fuel prices will pose financial challenges for many Kenyans, particularly those in the hustling sector who heavily rely on affordable transportation.
“We all know that when the fuel goes up, we will have to pass it to the common mwananchi…we will have to increase the cost of our products so that we do not lose business,” said the association chairperson Albert Karakacha
He went on: “We have been consulting them about the increase of fuel and we have come up with a way that immediately they need to increase the fare.”
The announcement came after fuel prices hit a record Sh200, following Thursday’s review, with a jump as high as Sh30.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) announced fuel prices at Sh211.64 for super petrol; Sh200.99 for diesel and Sh202.61 for Kerosene.
For petrol, the price went up by Sh17, Diesel by Sh21, and kerosene by a whopping Sh33.
The big jump will have far-reaching consequences on house-holds that are already feeling the pinch of increased taxes and generally, a tough economic environment.
In Mombasa, petrol will retail at Sh208.58, while diesel and kerosene will be sold at Sh198 and Sh200 respectively.
In Nakuru, a litre of petrol will cost Sh210.63, while diesel and kerosene will cost Sh200.40 and Sh202.01, respectively, the new EPRA rates show.
In Mandera, the far-flunk county with the highest ever prices in such review, petrol will retail at Sh226, diesel and kerosene at Sh215 and Sh217, respectively
In the Nairobi presser, Mr Karakicha added that running the matatu sector is costly, and any increase in fuel prices will automatically affect their daily operation as well.
According to chairman, they initially used to spend Sh9,000 for a 14-seater matatu but they are now spending Sh11,000, and Sh16,000 for a 33-seater which is up from the initial Sh14,000.
The daily collection from a 33-seater vehicle is around Sh22,000.
Further, the association has blamed the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for failing to engage them before reviewing the price.
“Going forward, we are going to see how to engage them because the common mwananchi is suffering."
The association CEO Patricia Mutheu said that there is a need to have a national talk on how the sector can be supported by the government.
