Members of Parliament exposed Kenyans to the high fuel taxation, yet they are now questioning the increased cost of fuel.
By not putting the government to task as it passed pieces of legislation that allowed the increase of taxes, legislators opened the door that led to the current situation.
MPs are on the spot for passing legislation that increased VAT on fuel to 16 per cent as well as the introduction of the Petroleum Development Levy last year which increased fuel prices by a further Sh5.
Further, the National Assembly in December last year supported the rollback of pandemic tax relief which returned taxation to pre-pandemic figures.
Cried foul
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But political parties are now calling for a solution.
Led by Raila Odinga's ODM party, the parties have cried foul over the recent increase in fuel, which has seen petrol retail at Sh122 in Nairobi.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) reviewed fuel prices yesterday, increasing the retail prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene by Sh7.63, Sh5.75, and Sh5.41.
ODM said the fuel prices had reached alarming levels and warned that the government was courting citizens revolt by heaping more taxes on them.
"Silence on our part at this time will amount to complicity, and we therefore unequivocally state that we are opposed to this increase in the price of fuel. We demand that this decree is rescinded before it becomes effective," ODM said.
Musalia Mudavadi's ANC Party said the increase in pump prices will ultimately lead to an increase in the cost of production and transportation for Kenyans and businesses.
Profit margins
"What the Ministry of Energy has always done is to pass the increased costs to the mwananchi and business community, while guaranteeing higher profit margins for oil marketers," ANC said yesterday.
ANC wants the Ministry of Finance to revise the formula used in pricing fuel as well as review the tax regime on fuel products.
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior said Kenyans deserve an explanation from EPRA.
But Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina put the responsibility of ensuring that the public is not weighed down by increased taxation on the National Assembly.
