Minister summoned over Zim-SADC fuel price discrepancies

BY MOREBLESSING MARANGE

Marondera Central Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson, Caston Matewu, says the Minister of Energy, July Moyo, should explain to the National Assembly why Zimbabwe’s fuel has been increased with a higher percentage than other countries in the SADC region in the wake of the Middle East crisis.

He was speaking in the National Assembly yesterday. He says the average increase in fuel in the SADC region is around 5%, while it stands at almost 40% in Zimbabwe, which he described as a massive discrepancy with what is happening within the region.

“We take note of the geopolitical crisis in the Middle East, where there is a war between Iran, Israel and the US, which has caused the price of oil to increase the price of a single barrel of oil in the past few weeks. We note that this has led to fuel increases across the world and SADC is no exception to that,’ Matewu said.

“However, the average increase between January and now in fuel in the SADC region is around 5% but the increase in Zimbabwe between January and now is almost 40%,” he added.

“This is a massive discrepancy with what is happening within the region as far as the prices for oil are concerned. It is with that, Madam Speaker, that we ask that an urgent Ministerial Statement by the Minister of Energy and Power Development be given in this House as a matter of urgency to address and inform the House why our fuel is so expensive and why the price inclination has gone so much more for Zimbabwe

than anyone else,” he said.

Acting Speaker, Tsitsi Zhou said the administration should take the necessary arrangements and communication for the Minister of Energy to bring in a Ministerial Statement.