Commuters caught off guard as bus fare hikes after fuel price surge

Kenyans awoke on Wednesday to a sharp reality after a significant increase in fuel prices triggered an immediate rise in public transport fares.

The latest review by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has pushed diesel prices up and is one of the steepest single adjustments in recent years.

The cost of diesel rose by Sh40 a litre beginning this morning, while super petrol increased by Sh28.69 per litre, as the US war on Iran has its most direct impact on Kenyans yet. 

Pump prices could have risen higher had the government not intervened and subsidised diesel by Sh20 per litre and super petrol by Sh4 per litre. It has also subsidised kerosene by Sh100 per litre, retaining its price at Sh152.78.

EPRA attributed the increase to high landed costs. The US-Israel attack on Iran on February 28 disrupted oil production in the Gulf and raised freight and insurance costs.

The new prices, effective until mid-May, compare with the March–April cycle, when super petrol retailed at Sh178.28 per litre, diesel at Sh166.54 and kerosene at Sh152.78 in Nairobi.

The Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) warned that the ripple effects were inevitable.

In an advisory to its members, Chairman Newton Wang’oo noted that fuel accounts for roughly 55 percent of transport operating costs.

ADVISORY ON TRANSPORT COST ADJUSTMENTS FOLLOWING DIESEL PRICE INCREASE – 14TH APRIL 2026. @citizentvkenya @TukomiOfficial pic.twitter.com/TakHLdTsc2

— Kenya Transporters (@KTA_Kenya) April 14, 2026

Using this benchmark, the association estimates that the latest increase translates to a 13 to 14 percent rise in overall operational expenses.

Such a surge, the KTA cautioned, cannot be absorbed without consequences. Operators have been urged to reassess pricing structures and engage customers on revised rates to maintain service delivery.

For commuters, the impact was immediate and personal. At bus stages across major towns, fare adjustments ranging from Sh20 to Sh50 were reported, catching many off guard.