Fresh pressure is mounting on the government over soaring fuel prices after the Law Society of Kenya rushed to court seeking urgent orders to stop the latest hike, saying Kenyans are being unfairly burdened amid tough economic times.

In papers filed at the High Court in Nyamira, LSK accuses the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority of imposing sharp increases in Super Petrol and Diesel prices through a process it says lacked transparency, accountability and meaningful public participation.

“The petition and application have been lodged to protect the general public who stand to suffer irreparably should the orders sought herein not be granted,” part of the petition reads.

The petition also questions the government’s use of approximately KSh5 billion from the Petroleum Development Levy Fund, arguing there has been insufficient disclosure on how the money was computed, allocated and utilised.

LSK is further challenging the temporary waiver of sulphur standards announced by the Kenya Bureau of Standards, saying the move raises health, environmental and consumer protection concerns and may violate constitutional protections under Articles 42, 43, 46 and 69.

Among the orders sought, the petitioner wants the court to compel the respondents to publish a detailed breakdown of fuel price calculations, including taxes, levies, exchange-rate assumptions, margins and subsidy allocations.

The petition also seeks to restrain the government from utilising money from the Petroleum Development Levy Fund without full public disclosure and accountability measures.

According to court documents, the matter has been filed under urgency, with LSK arguing that growing public outrage and threatened demonstrations over the fuel hike make immediate intervention necessary to avoid heightened public tension and disruption of peace and order.

LSK maintains that the revised fuel prices impose a heavy burden on consumers and that the deployment of public funds from the levy fund without sufficient accountability violates constitutional principles on transparency and prudent public finance management.