SDP is saddened by the soaring cost of living in Kenya, which rises by the day, yet we have not seen or heard of any meaningful intervention from the government of National Unity.

Kenyans still remember, the promises that President Kibaki gave during his 2007 campaigns, indicating that his government would take care of the common mwananchi, having concentrated on resuscitating the country’s economy in his first term.

Kenyans have not also forgotten Prime Minister Raila’s chief campaign promise, of reducing the cost of essential goods, including food and Kerosene, back to, or even to cheaper prices than we had ten years ago.

Price of Fuel and Food

On the contrary, we have seen constant increase on the food prices and fuel prices over the past four years, yet the government remains mum on this life threatening issue. It is only in 2008 that we saw the introduction of two prices of unga, which was both discriminatory, as it was unworkable.

Everyone is well aware of the fact that the price of fuel affects the price of all other goods produced and consumed in a country.

The government of Kenya has been left to the mercies of multinational oil corporations like Kenol-Kobil, Total and others, who have well established roots in the government, and work closely with the Kenyan politicians and government leaders to oppress and constantly exploit the majority of Kenyans both rich and poor – especially the poor.

It is well known that most petrol stations in Kenya are co-owned by the current and former politicians and government officials; hence we see no opposition to these murderous increases from them.

We would like to remind the government that thousands of Kenyans are losing their sources of livelihood through these increases, since:

1.       Industries are forced to lay workers off due to the rising costs of manufacture.

2.       Workers are finding it difficult to get to work, due to the very expensive matatu fares, which are initiated by the rising fuel costs, and passed down to the passengers.

3.       Farmers cannot feed their animals on animal feeds and other supplements, since their prices have increased by over 60% in the past five months. This has led to most of the farmers abandoning farming all together, or increasing the prices of their products by the same margin.

4.       The cost of transporting these farm goods has also increased due to the increase in the cost of the cost of fuel, which further injures the end consumer.

5.       The cost of electricity has been going up steadily, and is still set to rise by a great margin due to the current fuel prices.

6.       The cost of essential manufactured goods, like cooking oils and fats, Sugar, soap, tooth pastes among others are now next to unaffordable to the common Mwananchi.

The above are just but a few examples of the suffering that Kenyans are going through, while the government either keeps quiet, or claims that its hands are tied, and that we are at the mercies of these multinationals.

Excuses by the government

In the past, the government used to claim that the multinational companies like Total and Kenol-Kobil are to blame, and that their hands are tied, meaning that we were at the mercies of these private multinationals.

 If this were the case, then why have we never seen better prices from the government owned National Oil?

The government, through their regulatory board, in conjunction with these multinationals, came up with some formula of controlling these fuel prices, but on the contrary, all the regulatory board has been doing is to increase the fuel prices, by un imaginable margins.

It is that members of the energy regulatory commission, together with officials of the energy ministry and government bigwigs are secretly and corruptly benefitting from the multinationals by increasing these prices?

There are also claims that it is because of the imperialist invasion in Libya, that these prices are sky rocketing. This is a lie. We have in the past seen these multinationals increase oil prices when the world price per goes up, yet when the world process go down, we do not see any significant reduction on our pump prices. They are always quick to increase the prices of their stored oil, and cheat Kenyans that that is price-increase-oil from the Middle East.

The bill of rights

These unprecedented fuel and food prices are actually in contravention of our new constitution, as it jeopardizes the implementation of the bill of rights, specifically articles 43 on economic and Social rights, and article 46 on Consumer rights and protection.

SDP’s Demand

The Social Democratic Party, together with millions of Kenyans, ask the government to play its rightful role and shield us from these oppressive, exploitative and murderous fuel and food prices, and immediately reduce that fuel prices to an agreeable figure of less than 70 shillings per liter of petrol, and less than 40 shillings per liter of Kerosene. We are also asking the government to reduce the price of essential commodities to agreeable and affordable figures. In doing so, they will not only be saving Kenyan lives, but they shall be fulfilling their promises to the people.

It is in this respect that we give this petition, to his Excellency the President of Kenya, to the right Honorable Prime Minister and to the Speaker of the National assembly.

It is in this regard also that together with trade unions and other civil society organisations SDP will mobilise Kenyans on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 to demonstrate in Nairobi and later throughout the country to demand immediate appropriate action to correct the situation to save millions of suffering Kenyans. Let us all join the just and peaceful demonstration that will start at Freedom Corner Uhuru Park from 12.00 Noon! Remember, it is the united struggle of the oppressed and exploited Kenyans that will liberate them and our country.