Fuel Prices Under Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto

For decades, the price of fuel in Kenya has been a measure of how the economy and the prices of other commodities perform.

Although times have changed from the days of Kenya’s 2nd President, Daniel arap Moi, through to Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta, and now William Ruto, fuel has remained a basic commodity.

During Moi’s early regime, the pump price was like pocket change, and it significantly went up when other presidents came to power, reaching its highest peak during Ruto’s regime.

In this segment, Times Digital Kenya takes a look at how fuel prices shifted across the regimes of Moi, Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta, and William Ruto.

Daniel Arap Moi (1978 to 2002)

During his early years as President, a litre of Super petrol cost around Ksh 3.36. In the 1980s, prices largely remained in the single digits. In the 1990s, prices began to rise following the Kenyan shilling’s devaluation against the dollar.

Year in, year out, the price of fuel continued to rise, and by the time Moi handed over power to Mwai Kibaki in 2002, it had reached a high of Ksh 54. During this period, it was somehow affordable to most Kenyans, but it also served as a reality check as the country started to catch up with global inflation.

Mwai Kibaki (2003 to 2012)

Kibaki, the third President of Kenya, started his tenure when the price of fuel was Ksh 54. However, this did not last long, as his tenure faced a massive global crisis which saw the price of the commodity rise not only in Kenya but also across the world.

By 2011, in what was seen as a shock to most Kenyans, the price of fuel hit a record Ksh 124.13.

Uhuru Kenyatta (2013 to 2022)

Early in his presidency, a litre of petrol was around Ksh 110 and even dropped to a low of Ksh 67 at one point.

During Uhuru Kenyatta’s last term as President, prices recorded a steady rise, which his administration linked to COVID-19 and the Ukraine war. To ensure the prices did not get too high, Uhuru’s government introduced subsidies, and at the time of leaving office, a litre of petrol stood at Ksh 159.12.

Nonetheless, reports from Nation Africa indicated that without these subsidies, fuel could have cost over KSh 209 per litre by the end of Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure.

William Ruto (2022 to date)

At the time President William Ruto took office, fuel prices stood at Ksh 159.12, but rather than continue with subsidies on the commodity, he chose a different path. His administration removed all the subsidies his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, had left and termed the move a long-term solution that would ease national debt.

In addition to the removal of subsidies, the government of Ruto increased VAT on the commodity from 8% to 16%, and at the same time the shilling weakened. As such, the price of petrol hit an all-time historic high of Ksh 217.36 by the end of 2023.

As of early 2026, the price of fuel stands at around Ksh 178, thanks to a strengthening currency as well as reduced global prices of crude oil.

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