By: Anthony Bwalya
If the PF return to power, it is RELIABLY EXPECTED that they plan on hiking the pump price of fuel by a minimum 20% to K21.14 per litre.
This is because the regime has lost the ability to import fuel and now heavily reliant on OMCs to land the commodity.
But with the KWACHA in turmoil, OMCs have complained of a spike in the landing costs for the finished product.
A fuel pump price hike is eminent.
This will be an assault on our collective welfare.
But they do not care – because they own a sizeable fleet which is currently and actively engaged in the moving of finished fuel from port to various parts of the country.
So, even if the pump price goes up, they shall continue making huge profits while Zambians suffer.
The UPND on the other hand, maintains that post August, we shall deliver a minimum K2 reduction on the pump price, to around K15 per litre.
This will be achieved by:
1. Restoring government’s own ability to import crude oil via TAZAMA for processing at Indeni.
This will cut out not only unnecessary commission costs to middlemen but also reduce on the port to pump associated costs.
This ☝️ will be crucial in protecting jobs at both TAZAMA PIPELINES and INDENI.
2. Cut out corruption in the procurement and distribution processes
The Zambia we want is possible.