HARARE
–
The
Zimbabwe
Energy
Regulatory
Authority
(ZERA)
on
Thursday
announced
a
shock
fuel
price
increase
just
when
motorists
had
been
promised
relief
at
the
pumps.
Diesel
goes
up
to
$2.11
from
$2.05
per
litre
while
the
new
petrol
price
was
set
at
$2.23
from
$2.17.
Fuel
stations
outside
Harare
and
Mutare
can
expect
to
pay
up
to
$0.10
more
after
factoring
in
transport
costs.
The
government
sharply
raised
fuel
prices
last
month
after
the
Iran
war
interrupted
global
supply,
but
with
other
countries
in
the
region
removing
government
taxes
to
keep
fuel
prices
in
check,
officials
had
undertaken
to
carry
out
a
similar
review.
Iran
has
restricted
the
movement
of
oil
shipments
through
the
Strait
of
Hormuz,
a
narrow
waterway
connecting
the
Persian
Gulf
with
the
Gulf
of
Oman
and
the
Arabian
Sea,
serving
as
a
critical
choke
point
for
global
oil
and
gas
shipments.
Finance
Minister
Mthuli
Ncube
raised
hopes
when
he
posted
a
statement
on
his
X
account
at
9.14PM
on
Thursday
announcing
the
suspension
of
all
government
taxes
on
diesel
—
amounting
to
$0.56
per
litre.
“The
government
of
Zimbabwe
under
the
visionary
leadership
and
guidance
of
His
Excellency,
the
President,
Cde
Dr
E.D.
Mnangagwa,
has
taken
decisive
and
unprecedented
action
to
cushion
citizens
and
industry
from
the
adverse
effects
of
rising
global
fuel
prices,”
Ncube
effused.
He
said
the
government
had
taken
note
of
“long
standing
public
concerns
regarding
the
contribution
of
domestic
fuel
taxes
to
pump
prices”
as
he
announced
a
pause
on
the
collection
of
excise
duty,
ZINARA
road
levy,
carbon
tax
and
strategic
reserve
levy.
Taxes
on
petrol,
adding
up
to
$0.86,
would
remain
unchanged,
he
said,
as
his
focus
was
on
diesel
—
a
“critical
input
in
agriculture,
mining,
manufacturing
and
logistics.”
Ten
minutes
later,
ZERA
announced
that
fuel
prices
were
going
up
—
including
diesel.
ZERA
said
the
government
was
keeping
the
price
of
diesel
“lower
than
it
ought
to
be.”
“Without
government
intervention,
the
price
of
diesel
would
have
been
$2.65
per
litre,”
ZERA
said.
Ncube’s
promise
of
“making
deliberate
and
significant
fiscal
sacrifice
in
the
national
interest,
prioritising…
the
welfare
of
citizens
over
short
term
revenue
considerations”
had,
within
minutes,
turned
into
a
cruel
trick
on
motorists.
Fuel
was
selling
for
$1.56
per
litre
of
petrol
and
$1.52
per
litre
of
diesel
before
the
United
States
and
Israel
began
their
bombardment
of
Iran
on
February
28.