Nairobi, May 6 -- This month, Kenyans got a real shock when the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority announced its review of petroleum products for the period of April 16 to May 14, 2026.

Their announcement was to the effect that the price of super petrol in Nairobi would surge by over Sh28 per liter, while diesel, which is the lifeblood of freight business, was to jump by a record Sh40.

Thankfully, the government intervened to reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products, from 13 percent to 8 percent. This prompted a downward revision of fuel prices following that initial sharp increase.

For logistics firms already operating on razor-thin margins, the message sent by the fuel price scare cannot be any clearer - volatili...