Kenyans To Wait Longer For Cheap Cooking Gas, Here’s Why

Kenyans will continue digging deeper into their pockets to pay for cooking gas as President William Ruto tells them to be patient as they await the availability of affordable gas.

This is after it emerged that Ruto will not be able to fulfill his June 2023 promise when the prices ought to have significantly dropped as a result of financial cushioning by the State.

Speaking on Sunday, May 14^th, the President revealed that the passage of the 2023/23 budget must precede the introduction of the long-awaited low-cost gas into the market.

President Ruto clarified that the government’s current focus is on reducing the cost of cylinders to ease the financial burden on Kenyans.

Although initial plans to remove taxes on gas did not succeed in the supplementary budget, the President said progress was being made in the current budget.

”If we had succeeded to have that in the supplementary budgetary budget, then that would have happened from June 1,” Ruto sought to explain himself to the Press Corps.

He further explained that the only way for Kenyans to enjoy affordable gas is for Members of Parliament (MPs) to review the proposed Finance Bill 2023, and pass it as soon as possible.

”We realized that if we had to do that then it would have required that we amend some law but as you can see, we have that in the current budget.

”We have to remove all the illegal fillers because they are undermining our efforts…what we were reducing between Sh300-500 is the gas cylinder then you will be able to refill gas,” Ruto stated.

The Finance Bill, 2023 has been tabled in Parliament and has scrapped VAT so that Kenyans start enjoying cheap. The President stressed the need to eliminate illegal fillers that undermine the government’s efforts.

By reducing the cost of gas cylinders by approximately KES 300-500, individuals will be able to refill their gas supplies at a reduced price.

The Finance Bill 2023 seeks to exempt cooking gas from the eight percent Value Added Tax (VAT), the 3.5 percent Import Declaration Fees, and the Railway Development Levy of two percent.

“To reduce the cost of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and make it affordable, reduce the use of biomass fuel and destroy our forests, the Bill proposes to exempt LPG from VAT. It further proposes to exempt LPG from Railway Development Levy (RDL) and Import Declaration Fees (IDF),” reads the State House brief.

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