Former Chief Justice David Maraga has expressed solidarity with Kenyans grappling with rising cost of living and what he describes as governance failures contributing to the paralysis of the transport sector.
In a written statement, Maraga linked the current economic pressure to global geopolitical disruptions, noting that while the fuel crisis is partly attributed to the war against Iran, governments must act decisively to cushion citizens from inflationary shocks.
He argued that responsible leadership requires immediate fiscal and policy interventions to stabilize essential commodities.
Proposal for Emergency Parliamentary Measures
As an urgent first step, Maraga urged Parliament to convene and implement three key measures, exemption of all fuel products from VAT, temporary removal of fuel levies to ease pressure on pump prices, and a reallocation of public resources away from what he termed “budgeted corruption” toward mitigating the energy and cost-of-living crisis.
His remarks come at a time when the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) announced a sharp upward revision in fuel prices for the period 15th May to 14th June 2026. Super Petrol increased by Ksh 16.65 per litre, while diesel rose by Ksh 46.29 per litre.
The price hike has led to a nationwide strike by matatu operators, paralysing the transport system across the country.
EPRA attributes the steep adjustments to a 20.32% increase in the landed cost of diesel, which rose from US dollar 1,073.82 to US dollar 1,291.98 per cubic metre.
The regulator’s pricing review has triggered renewed public and policy debate on the effectiveness of existing government interventions aimed at stabilizing fuel costs.
Maraga’s intervention adds to growing public scrutiny of fiscal policy responses to global energy volatility, with increasing calls for structural reforms to cushion vulnerable populations while ensuring economic stability.
