The cost of cooking gas is likely to rise after the government imposed new taxes on imported LPG by more than 38,000 shillings.
The levies have been increased from $605 (70,000 shillings) per ton of LPG to $930 (108,000 shillings) per ton of LPG. This is a jump of 325 dollars per truck, a charge the importers say will trickle down to the final consumers.
The cost of a 6Kg gas cylinder which currently retails at 1200 shillings, will be pushed to 1500 shillings while the 13kg cylinder to 3500 shillings from between 2866 -3000 shillings if the overnight tax increase move passes through.
The importers reported that the Kenya Revenue Authority did not give them the notice and that this move will only continue to injure the financial status of Kenyans.
“KRA did not give us any notice about the increase of the taxes; our trucks were just stopped at the border with customs demanding extra monies,” the chairman of Independent Gas Dealers Association, Yusuf Hussein, said.
“At the end of the day, we are a business; if KRA pushes a cost to us, we have no option but to forward the same to our customers,” said Mr Hussein.
Trucks bringing in the LPG from Tanzania have been stuck at the border, where they have been denied entry until they pay the new taxes.
Furthermore, the drivers are now concerned for their safety citing that some of their tanks are already leaking, and an indication of a possible explosion.
The inflation rate in the country, the overall year-on-year inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 6.47 percent in April from 5.56 percent in March 2022.
This represents a seven-month high increase and is attributed to a jump in prices of essential items like cooking oil, soap, and cooking gas in the last 12 months and the increase in fuel prices, which were reviewed upwards in March 2022.
The government of Kenya seems determined to continue demoralizing Kenyans through hefty taxes and an increase in basic commodities and fuel prices. Kenyans have tough days ahead and definitely, no cry will seemingly save them.