By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, 18 May 2026 - President William Ruto and his administration have no capacity to stop the soaring fuel prices crippling the country, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi admitted on Monday as transport, businesses and learning activities were paralyzed nationwide.
In a rare admission that laid bare the government’s helplessness amid the deepening fuel crisis, Mbadi said Kenya lacks the power to influence the global forces driving up petroleum prices, insisting the solution lies in ending tensions involving the United States and Iran and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“The best solution for this is to address the supply chain. That can only be found by either stopping the war between the United States of America and Iran or alternatively opening the Strait of Hormuz,” said Mbadi.
“Who has the capacity to do that? America or possibly Iran. But not President William Ruto. He has no capacity. We have no capacity,” he added.
Mbadi warned Kenyans against expecting an immediate reduction in pump prices, saying the government can only attempt to stabilize the situation locally as global oil shocks continue to batter economies worldwide.
“I will tell you for a fact that it would be wrong to raise the expectations of Kenyans to a level that they get disappointed. But I would tell you that we are going to have a meeting. This government is working on ways to make sure that the fuel prices are at least stabilized and at least come down,” he said.
The remarks came as outrage spread across the country following a sharp increase in fuel prices announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). Super Petrol rose by KSh16.65 to KSh214.25 per litre, while Diesel shot up by KSh46.29 to KSh242.92 per litre. Kerosene remained unchanged at KSh152.78 per litre.
The steep rise in diesel prices triggered fears of a fresh economic shock, with analysts warning that transport costs, food prices and production expenses are set to rise sharply because diesel powers key sectors including transport, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics and construction.
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Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina demanded an urgent recall of Parliament to address the crisis.
“Parliament MUST convene urgently. If other issues have mattered, the issue of the high cost of fuel should also matter enough to the National Assembly,” she said.
Former Kirinyaga Woman Representative and 2027 gubernatorial aspirant Wangui Ngirici blamed the government’s heavy taxation regime for worsening the pain on Kenyans.
“Taxes and levies account for a massive 32 percent to 46 percent of the total fuel cost in Kenya. The Government has the capacity to reduce these taxes and levies as a way of cushioning wananchi from the rising cost of living and the continued increase in fuel prices,” she said.
The fuel crisis now piles fresh political and economic pressure on the Kenya Kwanza administration as millions of Kenyans struggle with rising transport fares, expensive food and mounting household costs.