Charcoal traders in Kibera are facing difficult times in their business due to the reduced number of customers buying charcoal.
The reason for this is because residents have opted to use kerosene stoves because kerosene is now affordable to most of them.
The traders say business has been going down since the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) announced a drop in kerosene.
“My charcoal stock has been in the stores for the last two months. I have not been enjoying the sales since many of my customers have changed to use of stoves since kerosene is now affordable. Since the ERC announced drop in kerosene price residents have decided to use stoves and not jikos,’’ said Daniel Ng’eno, a charcoal vendor.
He noted that the sales have not been good since in a day he makes up to sh600 unlike before where he used to make more than sh4000 selling charcoal alone.
“One tin of charcoal costs sh50 but no one is buying. I am forced to lower the price in order to get customers but still there are no customers buying. Previously, I used to purchase charcoal weekly but in the last two months I have not purchased new stock since the last stock is still in the store,” added Ng’eno.
The lowering of the price of kerosene might have been a blessing for quite a number of people but it was a disaster for charcoal vendors in Kibera.