Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has issued a stark warning over Kenya’s spiralling fuel crisis.
Mbadi cautioned that pump prices could have surged beyond KSh 300 per litre had the government not intervened with emergency cushioning measures, as the turmoil in the Middle East continues to disrupt global energy markets.
Speaking as anxiety ripples across the country over rising transport fares and the soaring cost of living, Mbadi painted a picture of an oil market gripped by chaos.
According to the Treasury chief, the closure and disruption of key shipping routes around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy arteries, has choked nearly 20 per cent of global oil supply, sending shockwaves through economies heavily dependent on imported fuel.
“A major fuel crisis is unfolding, causing serious concern as the transport sector faces paralysis due to the ongoing strike, but it is important to understand that this is part of a wider global challenge,” said Mbadi.
“The closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the escalating conflict involving the USA and Iran has disrupted nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply.”
Pain at the pump
For Kenya, the tremors are already being felt at the pump.
In the latest Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority review, diesel prices surged to a record KSh 242.92 per litre in Nairobi while petrol climbed above KSh 214, marking the second consecutive month of painful increases.
CS Mbadi: Government will reconvene upon President Ruto’s return from Azerbaijan to explore further interventions to protect Kenyans from soaring fuel costs. #FixingTheNationNTV @nationfmke @ericlatiff @mariambishar @blinkypenguin pic.twitter.com/iUru5bZHqD
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) May 18, 2026
But Mbadi insists the reality could have been far worse.
Without state intervention through fuel stabilisation mechanisms and government-to-government supply arrangements with Gulf oil giants, he warned, Kenyans would likely be staring at unprecedented prices nearing KSh 311 per litre.
There is, obviously, anger about the crisis, online and in public places. Kenyans are venting their anger on social media, saying the government is not protecting ordinary people from the unrelenting economic squeeze.
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Others, however, acknowledge the conflict-driven global shock battering fuel-importing nations across Africa.
Meanwhile, business groups are warning of a chain reaction racing through the economy like wildfire.
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