Fuel stocks for 16 days? That is great if we start thinking with our heads, not stomachs

Kenya's fuel stocks enough to last 16 days only as shortages hit. [File, Standard]

News just in is that we have enough fuel stocks to last 16 days. We have a little more stock of paraffin, perhaps to last a month and a half. This means those who prefer mixing the two to offer adulterated fuels that jam engines can do it with a clear conscience. Now their motivations are not driven by personal gain; it’s to stretch the stocks a little longer.

Another piece of good news is that matatu operators could hike their fares, as they do when it rains and other natural calamities. Put simply, many chaps stand to gain immensely from the fuel crisis.

If you believe what the Kiharu MP, Ndindi Nyoro, has been saying about the fluctuating fuel prices, and I have no reason to doubt him, fuel prices are manipulated to benefit a few individuals. Since I haven’t heard Nyoro dispute that he’s been profiting from his shareholding at Kenya Power, then he must know a thing or two about the energy sector.

Which takes me to the next good news of the week. While fuel shortages could cause a few pain points, overall, it’s a very positive development since it might provoke our leaders to start thinking using their heads, instead of their stomachs, which I believe to be the singular motivation for policy direction in the last 60 years.

Had we turned to renewable energy at our founding, our homes, vehicles, and machinery would now be solar-powered, as opposed to relying on imported fossil fuels to run the economy. Something for the common good could emerge from this fuel crisis.