Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi told the public that Kenya has sufficient petroleum inventories and is still receiving cargoes on time, despite growing disruptions in the global oil market.

Wandayi linked the upward pressure on fuel prices to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has affected oil tankers, pipelines and loading facilities across the region.

He noted that the disruptions have reduced the volume of petroleum products reaching the market, raised shipping and insurance costs, and tightened global supplies, thereby pushing prices upward.

The cost of imported Super Petrol (Premium Motor Spirit) on a CIF Mombasa basis rose from about $1,199 per tonne in August to $1,385 in September, while diesel (Automotive Gas Oil) increased from roughly $1,200 to $1,313 per tonne over the same period.

Wandayi explained that Kenya’s monthly M‑1 petroleum pricing mechanism uses the previous month’s import cost benchmarks, meaning the recent cost hikes will feed into the next pump‑price review.

He credited Kenya’s Government‑to‑Government (G‑to‑G) procurement arrangement for helping maintain a steady supply, as oil companies have shifted cargo loading to alternative ports when Gulf loading points are under pressure.

The fixed freight and premium terms of the G‑to‑G deal, according to Wandayi, have shielded Kenyan consumers from sharp freight‑cost spikes and supplier premiums that could have otherwise been passed on.

The government is also pursuing a tax measure to ease the impact on households, with the National Assembly considering a bill to extend the 8 % VAT on petroleum products for an additional 90 days from 15 October 2026.

Wandayi affirmed that fuel remains available at filling stations across all counties and that the ministry will keep monitoring geopolitical tensions and shipping disruptions that could sustain price pressure.