Towns hit by fuel shortages
An employee of a petrol station adjusts the prices of fuel on a billboard in Nyeri on December 15, 2011, a day after the Energy Regulatory Commission directed that prices should go down. Photo/JOSEPH KANYI
An acute fuel shortage has hit towns in Kenya and was blamed on the lowering of prices.
Those without enough fuel included Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, Kabarnet, Kitale, Sotik.
Fuel stations failed to order fuel at the old price of Sh124 since they would not have been able to sell it at the new one of Sh119.
In Mombasa several stations had run out of fuel with pumps in several stations in Mombasa Island dry on Wednesday.
National Oil on Haile Selassie Road had none while Total on the same avenue had no petrol but was selling diesel. Gapco on Moi Avenue was selling diesel after petrol run out in the morning.
Shell and Oil Libya had petrol and diesel with a director at Shell saying the shortage was because of a delay by dealers in buying new stocks since they knew the price will fall.
However, the stations had adjusted the fuel prices to reflect new prices announced by the government on Wednesday.
Eldoret town had a fuel shortage, while independent dealers in Western Kenya region chairman Hezekiah Kosgey said that most were reluctant to place orders for fuel in anticipation of lower prices.
“Most companies are selling fuel to dealers at the old price and therefore no one want to purchase,” he said.
In Baringo county, public transport to Kabarnet town was hurt by the fuel shortage.
Many petrol stations were deserted and many public service and private vehicles were parked as pedestrians at Kabarnet Bus Park scrambled for a few available vehicles.
At the same time transport has been paralysed at Trans Nzoia and Pokot counties following the shortage.
Two out of 15 petrol stations in Kitale town had fuel but the rest were not sure of the next supply.
Trans Nzoia and Pokot counties have had a shortage of fuel for the last three months and no tangible reason given.
Bus fares from Kitale to Nairobi have gone up from Sh700 to Sh1,200.
In Sotik, the fuel shortage that has lasted for five days has affected many businesses in Sotik District, Bomet County.
In Nakuru has been spared an ongoing fuel shortage that is biting several parts of the country.
Reported By Githua Kihara, Ouma Wanzala, Wycliffe Kipsang, Bernard Kwalia, Eddy Ngeta and Eric Ngobilo
