MDC Press
16 April 2003
Mugabe's Fuel Hike Piles on the Misery for Ordinary Zimbabweans
Last night, Mugabe's Minister for Energy, Amos Midzi, announced that the retail price of petrol would go up 209.9% to Z$ 450.
This is an astronomical rise, and comes just two months after a previous hike of 95%. Given the parlous state of the economy and the spiralling rate of inflation, Zimbabweans are likely to suffer similar price increases in the not too distant future.
This increase also means that the price of every conceivable commodity in Zimbabwe will sky rocket as all producers who manufacture such essential goods as food and clothing also use fuel. Their overhead costs will also increase due to higher transport costs.
In real terms this increase means that for those vehicles which have 60litre tanks the cost of fuel rises from $8520 to $27 000. This is way above the net salary of a majority of ordinary Zimbabweans. Members of parliament earn an average net salary of $60 000. This astronomical increase means that MPs can only afford two tanks of fuel each month and nothing else. No food, no clothing and no rentals. It means that a trip to Bulawayo by car will now cost well over $60 000.
Those who travel by bus are likely to pay $15 000 one-way, well beyond the net salaries of ordinary Zimbabweans.
This increase is criminal when we consider the salary and incomes levels of the majority of the people of Zimbabwe. It proves beyond reasonable doubt that the Mugabe regime does not care about the plight of the people.
"Zanu PF lacks both the political will as well as the policy solutions to tackle the fuel crisis. In fact this unprecedented rise in the price of petrol is symptomatic of a dying and desperate regime. Their policy failures are now ubiquitous. Yet again Mugabe and Zanu PF have reneged on their promises to the people of Zimbabwe. Before February 2003 the regime claimed that the price of fuel would be kept at affordable levels. Everyone knew that the continued flagrant mismanagement of the economy would preclude the regime from keeping this promise.
The harsh reality of politically induced economic failure is becoming more and more pervasive. The latest fuel hike will mean thousands more Zimbabweans will be forced to go without food and travel by foot, adding another level of sufferance to their daily grind.
Only a restoration of democracy can arrest Zimbabwe's economic decline. The longer Mugabe and Zanu PF are at the helm in Zimbabwe the more prolonged the suffering of our beleaguered people.
Despite the inevitable hardships that will be caused by the fuel hike, Zimbabweans can take comfort from the fact that change is coming. The desire of Zimbabweans to bring an end to a daily life of misery is an unstoppable process. The successful stay away of 18/19 March demonstrated that Zimbabweans have had enough. The fuel hike will simply serve to accelerate the collapse of the Mugabe regime."
All Zimbabweans need to know that it is time to unite and reclaim their sovereignty. Collective lawful democratic mass action will be called soon, everyone needs to play their part to win back the independence of our country and secure the future for our children," said MDC Secretary General, Professor Welshman Ncube.
Notes to Editors:
- Zimbabwe has been in the grip of an escalating fuel crisis for the past two years
- In December 2002 Mugabe promised a Zanu PF congress in Chinhoyi that he would seriously address the fuel crisis
- In September 2002, the state-controlled 'Herald' announced a US$360 million oil deal with Libya. The announcement was to prove to be premature as the deal collapsed due to the inability of the Mugabe regime to honour existing debts.
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