Gov’t given 14 days to respond to petition challenging fuel price review process

The matter came up for mention on Wednesday before Justice Roselyne Aburili, where the court was informed that none of the respondents had filed their responses to the petition.

During the proceedings, petitioner Francis Awino told the court that although the government had since lowered fuel prices, his case was not solely about the cost of fuel but rather the legality and constitutionality of the process used in arriving at the pricing decisions.

Awino maintained that the issues raised in the petition remain unresolved and argued that he could not withdraw the matter merely because prices had been reduced.

The activist has moved to court seeking orders to halt the implementation of fuel prices announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for the period between May 15 and June 14, 2026.

In the constitutional petition filed at the Milimani High Court, Awino accuses the government and energy sector regulators of violating the Constitution by imposing what he terms an economically punitive burden on Kenyans without adequate transparency and public participation.

He argues that the fuel pricing mechanism has far-reaching effects on the cost of living and that decisions affecting millions of consumers should be subjected to meaningful public engagement.

The court directed the respondents to file and serve their responses within 14 days, after which the matter will be mentioned on July 2, 2026 for further directions.