KENYA: Food and fuel prices cut

The Kenyan government has reduced the rising prices of food and fuel, in an effort hoped to see the East Africans eat enough food and not sleep in darkness. The development follows weeks of peaceful street demonstrations in the capital, Nairobi in which Kenyans asked for heavy levies on the basic human needs lifted. Both president Mwai Kibaki and his prime minister Raila Odinga ordered the considerable reduction of prices of food and fuel to normalize the cost of living in the nation. The local media reported that Odinga announced the removal of taxes on kerosene at a Parliamentary session on Thursday. Kerosene is the most used fuel for cooking and lighting in Kenyan homes. "For immediate relief, the Government has removed all taxes and levies on kerosene to reduce the cost of light and cooking energy. This will reduce kerosene price by Sh5.66 per litre, in addition to the reduction of Sh2 per litre (of diesel) announced by the Treasury last week," The Standard quoted the PM to have said. It also reported that maize and wheat flour will experience lifted up import duty as a part of measures encouraging the lower cost of living in the country. Source: Abdirashid Abdi Diis, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya < Prev   Next >