Kenya's government said on Tuesday it was ​extending a ⁠reduction in Value Added Tax (VAT) ‌on petroleum products for another three months to ​mid-October to cushion households and businesses from volatility ​in global energy prices.

The East African country in April cut VAT on petroleum products ⁠from 16% to 8% for three months, after crude oil prices surged because of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

​In ‌a statement ⁠on Tuesday, ⁠Energy and Petroleum Minister Opiyo Wandayi said the ​government would also deploy ‌a subsidy to the ⁠tune of 945 million shillings ($7.31 million) to sustain current price levels in the July-August fuel pricing cycle.

Wandayi sought to reassure Kenyans that fuel was readily available despite renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran.

Kenya ‌typically imports nearly all of its ⁠fuel products from the Middle ​East via government-to-government deals.

In May, transport operators went on strike over ​fuel price hikes. ($1 = ‌129.2000 Kenyan shillings)

(Reporting by ⁠Humphrey Malalo; Writing by ​Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Alexander Winning)