By Martin Mutua

The era of price controls is about to return to the country thanks to the insensitive manufacturers and the never ending cartels in the oil industry that have made sure pump prices always skyrocket.

This week Mathira MP Ephraim Maina moved a private members Bill seeking to empower Government to control prices of certain basic commodities.

The Bill, which received overwhelming support from members of both sides of the House, including Cabinet ministers, was an indication that the equation of a liberal market have failed.

When liberalisation of the economy was introduced in 1993 there was hue and cry from the public and certain leaders in Government opposed it but major forces within the private sector exerted pressure and it came to pass.

The arguments then were that the world was heading towards a liberalised market economy and that everything needs to find its place within that arena. Then President Moi warned of the dangers of allowing a complete liberalised economy, but his warnings fell on deaf ears.

Today, 10 years down the line, the warnings seemed to have come to pass with the introduction of the Bill.

More often than not there have always been attempts to regulate the oil industry owing to the erratic increases in pump prices, which have translated to an increase of prices for basic commodities such as maize flour, sugar and even bus fares for those using public transport.

An attempt by Ndhiwa MP Orwa Ojode to introduce a similar Bill that would have given the Ministry of Energy the powers to control oil prices were thwarted by the same cartels in the industry. The Bill never saw light of day as Ojode was then elevated to Cabinet as an Assistant Minister.

Whereas the move by Maina will be fought by manufacturers and those in the private sector the fact that it has received overwhelming support from members on both sides was an indication and even a confirmation that all was not well in the liberalised market.

Whereas Kenya cannot boast to be on the fast lane towards becoming a developed country, there was need to safeguard its people, majority of whom live below the poverty line, from oppression and emasculation by those in the business world out to eke super profits from a struggling economy.

Increment of petroleum pump prices by the cartels in the oil industry, which have rejected attempts to lower their prices even when the prices in the international market for a barrel have gone down, will go down.

Those in the private sector have always feared that by introducing price controls the Government would be pulling the gains in the economy backwards, which is meant to justify their zeal to continue oppressing the poor.

With the support the Bill received this week when it came for final debate and passage next week it will be a foregone conclusion and the manufacturers have themselves to blame as once again Parliament has stood out for the oppressed.