Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has called for the accountability of the directors of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) who were involved in the decision to increase fuel prices.
Speaking at a church service in Utawala, the Senator demanded that these directors be held accountable and even suggested jail time as a consequence of their actions.
“Every director who took part in the decision to increase fuel prices must be held accountable and imprisoned,” Mr Maanzo said.
Senator Manzo criticised the directors for what he said was their failure to adequately defend themselves in court. He praised the judiciary for standing with the people and emphasising the need for accountability in this matter. The senator’s strong words conveyed his determination to ensure that the directors are held accountable for their actions.
“They tried so hard to defend themselves in court, but we appreciate the judiciary for standing with the people. They must be arrested. I urge them to sit down and discuss because if they cannot tomorrow, they will be arrested,” he said.
Senator Maanzo went a step further, claiming that a threshold had been reached, implying that legal action against the Epra directors was imminent. He called on EPRA to convene a meeting to discuss fuel prices.
Failure to do so, the senator said, would result in the arrest of the directors. His call for immediate action underlines the urgency with which he believes the issue should be addressed.
“We are doing a threshold to arrest these directors, they tried too hard to defend themselves in court. I urge them to sit down and talk because if they cannot tomorrow they will be arrested. Epra should call a meeting between themselves and reduce fuel prices, if they don’t by 2pm they will be arrested,” said Mr Maanzo.
The senator’s comments have put the spotlight back on the issue of rising fuel prices, which has been a cause of concern for many Kenyans. The cost of fuel has a direct impact on transport, food prices and the general cost of living, affecting the daily lives of ordinary citizens. As the cost of living continues to rise, calls for transparent and fair fuel pricing practices have grown louder.
As discussions continue, it remains to be seen how Epra will respond to Senator Maanzo’s demands and the wider public sentiment on fuel prices. The issue has now assumed national importance and Epra’s actions in the coming days will be closely watched as Kenyans await a solution to ease the financial burden of rising fuel costs.
On 30 June, Epra announced the upward revision of pump prices following the doubling of the Value Added Tax on petroleum products to 16 per cent, in defiance of a court order on Friday suspending the Finance Act 2023.
In Nairobi, a litre of premium now costs Sh195.53 while diesel goes for Sh179.67- the highest since Kenya started capping pump prices.
