(Ecofin Agency) - In Kenya, the Energy Regulatory Commission in its monthly review on Thursday increased the retail prices of fuel, kerosene and diesel in Nairobi.The maximum retail price of petrol in the capital increased by 7.84% to 92.93 shillings per litre. The retail price for diesel has increased to Sh83.24 per litre, while a litre of super petrol is going for Sh92.93 in Nairobi. Kerosene has also been increased by Sh3.41 to Sh61.45 in Nairobi.

According to the Energy regulator, the rise is as a result of the increase in road maintenance levy.The extra levy, which was authorized by the government, increased to Sh18 from Sh12. Taxes and levies per litre of petrol has risen to Sh38.41 from about Sh32.Other levies such as Excise Duty increased to Sh19.89, Petroleum Development Levy Sh0.40 and Sh0.12 for Petroleum Regulatory Levy.

“ERC has factored Sh6 per litre in additional Road Maintenance Levy for both super petrol and diesel in line with the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (Imposition of Levy) (Amendment) Order, 2016. Diesel increased by 11.15 per cent from $ 409.02 per ton to $ 454.63 per ton and Kerosene increased by 2.53 per cent from $ 468.28 per ton to $ 480.12 per ton,” ERC said in a statement.

Increasing prices of energy and transportation in Kenya have a major weighting in the basket of goods and services in the East African country.The prices are being revised every month due to the fluctuation in global oil prices since mid-2014 and the exchange rate, Reuters reports.

Anita Fatunji