A WARNING by South Africa’s Mineral and Petroleum Resources minister Gwede Mantashe that fuel price increases are becoming “increasingly unavoidable” across Africa — amid tensions linked to the Iran-Israel conflict — should have prepared governments for tough decisions.
But tough decisions should not translate to punishing citizens.
Zimbabwe’s reaction has been swift — and severe.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority on Wednesday raised fuel prices — petrol to US$2,17 (up from US$1,71) and diesel to US$2,05 (from US$1,77).
That is roughly a 26% increase in one stroke — a steep jump by any standard.
Authorities may point to global oil price pressures.
They may argue that as a net importer of refined fuel, Zimbabwe has little room to manoeuvre.
But that argument collapses the moment you compare Zimbabwe with its neighbours.
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Across the region, countries facing the same global headwinds have managed to keep fuel prices significantly lower.
Petrol prices hover around US$1,19 in South Africa, US$1,31 in Mozambique, US$1,14 in Botswana, US$1,37 in Zambia, US$1,08 in Lesotho and US$1,17 in Eswatini.
Only Malawi, at US$2,80, is higher.
That stark gap exposes a simple truth: Zimbabwe’s fuel crisis is not just imported — it is manufactured locally.
The biggest driver of high fuel prices in Zimbabwe is not the global market, but the heavy burden of taxes, levies and regulatory costs layered onto every litre.
While other governments absorb part of the shock or cushion consumers, Zimbabwe appears to pass on the full cost to its citizens.
Fuel has effectively become a revenue stream.
But this approach comes at a devastating cost to the broader economy.
Fuel is the lifeblood of commerce.
When its price rises sharply, the impact ripples through every sector — transport, food, manufacturing and basic services.
There is no insulation.
And Zimbabweans are already feeling the squeeze.
Commuters are paying significantly more to get to work.
A trip from Harare CBD to Chitungwiza that once cost US$1 now averages US$2,50.
Those travelling from Budiriro are paying at least US$2, while a trip to Norton now exceeds US$3, up from about US$2.
These increases are not incremental — they are crushing.
Yet wages have remained largely stagnant.
There has been no meaningful adjustment in incomes to match the rising cost of living.
For many households, this means cutting back on essentials, stretching already thin budgets and, in some cases, falling deeper into poverty.
This is where the crisis shifts from economic to moral.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has consistently promised to leave “no one and no place behind”.
But current fuel pricing tells a different story — one where ordinary citizens shoulder the heaviest burden of policy decisions.
If the government is serious about easing the pressure, it must confront the real issue: the cost structure of fuel.
Reducing taxes and levies would be an immediate and effective intervention.
Streamlining regulatory costs and improving efficiency in the fuel supply chain would also help to bring prices closer to regional norms.
This is not an impossible task.
It is a question of political will.
Zimbabwe cannot continue to treat fuel as a convenient source of revenue while ignoring its central role in economic stability.
Every price increase at the pump multiplies across the economy, pushing up the cost of living and eroding livelihoods.
Global pressures may be unavoidable, but turning them into domestic suffering is a choice.
Right now, that choice is being made at the expense of Zimbabweans.
