Kenya hiked fuel prices in order to contain surging government spending sparked by the war in the Middle East, which has badly exposed Africa’s reliance on energy imports.
The increases put state-mandated prices of petrol and diesel 20% and 31% above prewar levels, respectively, pushing inflation in September to the highest rate in almost three years.
Countries across Africa are reeling from higher fuel costs, sparking unrest and grinding economies to a standstill: Motorists in Malawi are sleeping at gas stations, sometimes for days, in the hopes of being there when supplies arrive.
Record prices in South Africa, meanwhile, have pushed households to turn to firewood, coal, illegal electrical connections, “and other dangerous alternatives,” The Sowetan reported.
