Imagine whipping up your favorite stew, the aroma filling your kitchen, but, the cost of the gas powering your stove leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. That's the reality for many Kenyans right now, as a fiery debate erupts over the sky-high prices of cooking gas. New investigations reveal a shocking disparity, with Kenyans shelling out two and a half times more than the recommended retail price for LPG, even after the government slashed taxes and levies! What's cooking here? It certainly doesn't smell right.
NTV's recent exposé has blown the lid off what appears to be a rather gas-tronomic gouging. Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are reportedly purchasing a 13-kilogram cylinder of LPG for a mere Sh1,261, yet consumers are being slapped with an average price tag of Sh3,160 or even higher! That's a markup that would make even the most seasoned market vendor raise an eyebrow.
But the real shocker comes when you compare our prices to those of our East African brethren. Brace yourselves: a Kenyan is paying a staggering three times more for cooking gas than someone in Tanzania. But wait, it gets wilder! We're shelling out nine times more than our counterparts in Uganda and an unbelievable 23 times more than folks in Ethiopia! Twenty-three times! That's not just a price difference; it's a whole different economic reality brewing over their stoves.
Despite the government's efforts to ease the burden on consumers by removing the 8% Value Added Tax (VAT) on imported LPG, scrapping the 2% Railway Development Levy, and the 3.5% Import Declaration Fees on cooking gas, it seems the price relief hasn't trickled down to the mwananchi. Even with a reported drop in global LPG prices, the OMCs appear to be keeping those savings firmly locked in their coffers.
So, what's the deal? Why are we paying so much more? Well, as of May 2025, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) doesn't actually regulate the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Kenya. There are no specific margin caps in place for dealers, distributors, or retailers. This lack of price control has essentially created a wild west of gas pricing, leading to these massive disparities across the country. Some industry insiders are even pointing fingers at unusually high profit margins being retained by those in the supply chain.
However, there might be a glimmer of hope on the horizon for our wallets. EPRA is reportedly considering stepping in to implement LPG price regulations. Back in January 2025, following a Cabinet nod, they announced plans to introduce price controls for cooking gas. The aim? To finally stabilize prices and shield Kenyan consumers from what many are starting to see as exploitative pricing practices.
Could this be the end of the cooking gas price madness? Will EPRA's potential intervention finally level the playing field and bring our gas prices closer to those of our neighbors? Kenyans are understandably feeling like they're being taken for a ride, watching as the cost of a basic necessity like cooking gas soars while other nations enjoy significantly cheaper fuel. The question on everyone's lips is: are we being played? Are these OMCs unduly profiting at the expense of Kenyan households? The stark price comparisons with Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia certainly suggest something isn't right.
