BY HARRIET CHIKANDIWA GOVERNMENT has selected fifty-seven service stations across the country to sell fuel in local currency, Energy and Power Development Deputy minister Magna Mudyiwa told the Senate on Thursday.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) announced fuel prices a fortnight ago. Diesel now costs US$1.71 or$264.77 per litre while the price of petrol was reduced to US$1.63 or $252.40 per litre.
However, fuel sold in local currency is rarely available with fuel dealers citing an unstable exchange rate and inflation.
“It is not all service stations which are selling fuel in RTGS but there are some service stations which are selling in RTGS through the fuel for RTGS is very limited,” Mudyiwa said.
“We have selected 57 service stations with ZERA and National Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC) working together with Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) under the Ministry so that these 57 selected service stations sell their fuel in local currency.”
“The service stations must meet other conditions which ensure that the fuel is monitored.”
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Fuel prices have been going up as the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spread throughout energy markets across the globe amid fears of a global economic shock.
The war has also disrupted supply lines of commodities such as wheat and maize.
However, Zimbabwe has faced recurrent fuel shortages over the years.
Mudyiwa admitted that the government has not been able to ensure that fuel sold in local currency is available.
“To date, we are not able to get fuel to deliver to all these 57 service stations. That is why you assume that there are no such service stations. There is little fuel found and sold in local currency,” Mudyiwa said.
“These service stations which sell fuel in local currency must be monitored by the National Fuel Management System which is a computerised system and monitors how many litres of fuel have been received and the levels must be monitored from a remote controlled office.”