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Fact-Checking Kenyan President's Claims on Fuel Prices and Income Comparisons
Kenyan President Ruto stated that fuel prices in Kenya should be compared to other middle-income countries. Fact-checking shows Kenya and Tanzania are both lower-middle-income economies with similar fuel prices. Disputes arose over road network claims and income classifications.
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Fuel prices in Kenya increased in mid-April 2026, leading the government to reduce some taxes for at least 90 days. He suggested comparing Kenya's fuel prices to those in other middle-income countries for a fair assessment. A day later, a Kenyan government spokesperson repeated these statements.
Tanzania's public works minister, Abdallah Ulega, responded by stating that incorrect figures were used and that Tanzania is also a lower-middle-income economy.
The World Bank classifies countries by gross national income (GNI) per capita. For 2024, Kenya's GNI per capita was $2,090, placing it in the lower-middle-income category, defined as $1,136 to $4,495. Tanzania's GNI per capita was $1,210, also lower-middle-income.
Other neighbors include Burundi at $260 (low-income), Somalia at $620 (low-income), Democratic Republic of the Congo at $670 (low-income), Uganda at $970 (low-income), and Ethiopia at $1,100 (low-income, with 2026 status under review). South Sudan has no data available.
stated that fuel prices in middle-income countries are possibly higher or the same as Kenya's. Non-oil producers vary by population and other factors. Comparisons with Morocco and Tanzania show petrol at 1.52 US dollars per liter in Kenya, 1.50 in Tanzania, and 1.68 in Morocco.
Diesel prices are 1.53 in Kenya, 1.49 in Tanzania, and 1.56 in Morocco. In Nigeria, an oil producer, petrol averages 0.95 US dollars per liter and diesel 1.63, as confirmed by Africa Check's Nigeria editor David Ajikobi on April 21, 2026.
African Community, which includes eight countries. The president's comparison omitted the 'lower' qualifier in Kenya's income classification. Factors like population size, import volumes, and infrastructure influence fuel pricing across these economies.
