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Lpg Vies with Charcoal in Kenya

Lp gas suppliers in Kenya had slowed down their marketing campaigns after an lpg carrier headed for Mombasa was captured by Somali pirates, but recently have reduced their prices and are promoting lpg gas as a cooking fuel as the cost of charcoal has shot up.

Kenya is expected to consume around 67,228 tonnes of lp gas by the end of 2010. The price of charcoal had escalated due to the strict enforcement of tree harvesting rules by the Kenya Forest Service.

Lpg gas suppliers in Kenya have recently been made to use standardised valves by market regulator the Energy Regulation Commission. Companies had used valves that could not be fitted on competitors’ cylinders as a way to keep customers.

Petroleum Institute of East Africa general manager Wanjiku Manyara said that Kenya needed to implement the East Africa Community (EAC) protocol of putting no import duty or VAT on lp gas cylinders and appliances.

He said: “This will make lpg more affordable and increase its use in rural areas. Dependence on charcoal and wood fuel will reduce and hence complement efforts to protect the endangered Kenya forest cover.”

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