Nairobi — Central Organization Trade Union (COTU) secretary general Francis Atwoli now claims that a syndicate of cartels organized by Deputy President William Ruto are the masterminds behind the increase of fuel prices in the country.

Speaking during a press conference, Atwoli alleged that greedy oil distributors in the country are the reason behind sharp fuel price increase.

"I want to tell Kenyans the truth that they should look into the companies that supply oil. They are those companies which started to supply long time ago but they are who came in late who were brought by Kenya Kwanza," he stated.

"We want to tell Kenya Kwanza if they want Kenyan votes they should not hurt Kenyans by increasing fuel prices," he said.

Atwoli asked Ruto to stand by his promises of economic liberation to Kenyans by pushing his close allies in the oil distribution industry to tame their appetite for profit.

"If William Ruto is genuine to himself and honest with Kenyans and if he understands the cost living is high now due to perpetual increases of petroleum products. Let him tame his businessmen that he himself or issued license of importing petroleum products," he said.

"Otherwise we will narrow down on him. We have already narrowed down him but now we will narrow down more on him," Atwoli stated.

In the latest Energy and Petroleum Regulatory (EPRA) price review published on Tuesday, the cost of fuel went up by Sh9 a liter, with a litre of petrol retailing at Sh159.12; diesel at Sh140.0 and kerosene Sh127.94.

Without the fuel subsidy, petrol would have retailed at Sh184.68, diesel Sh188.19 while kerosene would have retailed Sh170.37.