DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua…..Photo/CG
LONDON
Democratic Congress Party leader Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday dismissed claims that global tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are driving Kenya’s record-high fuel prices, calling the explanation “hot air.”
Speaking during a virtual press briefing from the United Kingdom, the former deputy president instead blamed President William Ruto’s administration for artificially inflating fuel costs through its government-to-government oil importation deal.
“Kenya does not source its petroleum products from Iran or transport them through the Strait of Hormuz,” Gachagua said .
“Our fuel comes directly from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in Dubai and Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia.”
Gachagua alleged that government officials are using geopolitical conflicts as a scapegoat to shield themselves from public anger over high pump prices.
He claimed corruption and inefficiencies within the state-backed import framework are the true drivers of the economic burden facing Kenyan consumers.
The government-to-government fuel deal, introduced in 2023 to ease pressure on Kenya’s foreign exchange reserves has faced increasing scrutiny from opposition leaders who argue it lacks transparency and fails to lower retail prices.
Administration officials have previously defended the arrangement, maintaining that international supply chain disruptions and volatile global crude markets dictate local pricing.
