By Njeri Irungu,<\/strong><\/p>\n Nairobi, April 16, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has come out strongly in defence of the government\u2019s handling of rising fuel prices, accusing opposition leaders of politicising a global crisis for their own gain.<\/p>\n In a statement issued Thursday, UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar Hassan dismissed recent criticism from opposition figures as \u201cdeceitful and amusing,\u201d arguing that the concerns raised were based on misinformation and a misrepresentation of facts.<\/p>\n \u201cThe press conference staged by members of the opposition was filled with outright lies and laughable claims designed to mislead Kenyans,\u201d said Hassan. \u201cTheir attempt to exploit a global geopolitical challenge for political expediency speaks volumes about their lack of depth and selfish nature.\u201d<\/p>\n The ruling party maintained that the government has taken deliberate measures to shield Kenyans from the impact of soaring global fuel prices. According to Hassan, KSh 6.2 billion has been released through the Petroleum Development Levy to stabilise pump prices, alongside a reduction in Value Added Tax on petroleum products from 16 per cent to 8 per cent.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a result of these interventions, Super Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene will now retail at KSh 197.60, KSh 196.63 and KSh 152.78 respectively,\u201d he stated, adding that the measures were aimed at cushioning consumers from high import costs.<\/p>\n UDA attributed the current fuel price pressures to global market disruptions, particularly the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. \u201cKenya, like many nations, is experiencing ripple effects from international energy market volatility. Claims that this crisis is manufactured by domestic policy are false and malicious,\u201d Hassan said.<\/p>\n Central to the government\u2019s strategy, he noted, is the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) fuel import arrangement, which he credited with ensuring steady supply and easing pressure on the US dollar.<\/p>\n \u201cThe G-to-G framework has eliminated speculative pressure in the foreign exchange market by reducing spot purchases of dollars by oil marketers,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt continues to protect the economy and guarantee supply stability.\u201d<\/p>\n Hassan also criticised unnamed former government officials for what he termed as \u201cselective amnesia,\u201d claiming they had previously supported the same arrangement they now oppose.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is particularly ironic that individuals who participated in designing and approving the G-to-G framework are now feigning ignorance and attacking it for political reasons,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is not only dishonest but a clear attempt to sabotage government efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n On recent controversy surrounding fuel imports outside the G-to-G system, UDA insisted that such actions were illegal and posed serious risks.<\/p>\n \u201cThe importation in question violated the law, involved higher costs, and included substandard products. It was a criminal act on multiple fronts,\u201d Hassan asserted. \u201cHad it proceeded, Kenyans would be paying as much as KSh 236 for petrol and KSh 260 for diesel.\u201d<\/p>\n The party further dismissed claims of an impending fuel shortage during the Easter period, terming them baseless.<\/p>\n \u201cAt no point has the country faced a supply disruption. We have maintained sufficient stock to meet national demand,\u201d he said, adding that contingency measures had already been activated to address isolated logistical challenges.<\/p>\n UDA also took issue with opposition calls for mass action over the fuel price increases, describing them as misguided.<\/p>\n \u201cCalling for protests over a crisis driven by global shocks is not only na\u00efve but ignores the realities of an import-dependent economy,\u201d Hassan said.<\/p>\n The party warned that proposals to scrap key government initiatives such as the National Infrastructure Fund and Affordable Housing Levy would undermine long-term development.<\/p>\n \u201cThese frameworks are critical for financing infrastructure, creating jobs and driving inclusive growth. Dismantling them without viable alternatives reflects a lack of commitment to national progress,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Despite the criticism, UDA expressed confidence in the leadership of Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui.<\/p>\n \u201cWe remain confident in their stewardship and urge them to stay steadfast in the face of misleading and sensational claims,\u201d Hassan said.<\/p>\n He concluded by commending the government\u2019s response to the crisis, saying, \u201cWe acknowledge the progressive steps being taken to navigate these challenges and cushion Kenyans from the adverse effects of global oil price shocks.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" UDA Defends Government on Fuel Prices, Blames Opposition for \u2018Political Games\u2019 By Njeri Irungu, Nairobi, April 16, 2026 The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,108,153,31,47,107],"tags":[582,373],"class_list":["post-5681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business","category-general-news","category-news","category-politics","category-power-corridor-chatter","category-transport-and-logistics","tag-fuel-imports","tag-uda"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5681"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5683,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5681\/revisions\/5683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG-20260416-WA0045-300x200.jpg\")