Motorists in Kenya are queuing up at fuel stations to fill up their tanks despite a sharp hike in pump prices.

Fuel prices jumped to the highest in nearly three years as the US-Iran war strangles economies across the globe.

Fuel prices are a top contributor to inflation in Kenya, Eastern Africa’s biggest economy and have a snowball effect on the cost of food, transport, electricity and manufacturing.

Kenya, faces shortages due to delayed shipments from the middle east region currently engulfed in a war.

The government of Kenya recently requested for access to Uganda oil reserves hosted in Kenya but Uganda rejected the request.

Uganda has fuel stocks stored within the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC).

Authorities in Kampala refused Kenya’s request, stating it needed to prioritize Uganda’s own supply security. Ugandan officials cited that they hold about 21–26 days of fuel cover, which they described as stable but not sufficient to share during a volatile global market.

The rejection leaves Kenya navigating a potential supply crisis.

Uganda now holds a 20.15% stake in the KPC and has been exploring routes via Tanzania, reducing its dependence on Kenya.