Willis Otieno explains why fuel prices will rise before falling sharply
By David Nthua, August 1, 2025Constitutional lawyer and good governance crusader Willis Evans Otieno has told Kenyans that the prices of fuel will go up before drastically reducing.
Taking to his X handle on Friday, August 1, 2025, Otieno took the chance to bash the William Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza government.
He warned that the public should prepare for a well-calculated plan meant to create artificial suffering, only for the government to later offer minimal relief and brand it as a big win.
PR over substance
In his now widely shared post, Otieno said Kenyans should not be surprised when fuel prices are increased to unbearable levels in the coming months, only to be lowered slightly ahead of the 2027 general election.
“They’ll hike fuel prices to unbearable levels, then ‘reduce’ them by a few shillings just before elections and call it a miracle,” he posted.
Otieno went on to add that Kenya Kwanza’s idea of governance was extortion first, public relations later.
According to him, the current regime thrives on turning self-created crises into moments of glory by fixing what they broke.
“This regime creates artificial pain, then sells relief as generosity, like a thief handing you back your wallet and expecting applause,” he wrote.
Context behind the warning
Otieno’s remarks come at a time when the cost of living remains a major concern for many Kenyans. Fuel prices, which directly affect the cost of transport, food, and general household expenses, have remained high despite promises by government leaders that they would ease the burden on ordinary citizens.
His prediction came barely a day after the Ministry of Education announced a sharp reduction in university course costs, a move many interpreted as a political strategy to cool down public anger.
Several public opinion leaders noted that the revised fees were simply a return to what they used to be before Ruto took office in 2022, suggesting that the government had first inflated costs and was now seeking applause for merely reversing its own earlier actions.