FUEL HIKE TO HURT CONSUMERS
Written by Millennium on September 25, 2019
NCHIMUNYA CHIDAKWA writes
@SunZambian
THE just announced fuel hike is going to affect the transport industry and eventually lead to a rise in prices of commodities and make life unbearable for consumers.
Many Lusaka-based motorists complained that the raised fuel prices will have a telling effect on the people throughout Zambia.
One of the concerned motorists Boswell Gondwe told the Sun, that transport was a cardinal service because for anyone to work, they needed affordable passage.
“Kabili the only problem is that when you increase petrol, everything will increase, already we are complaining about the high cost of mealie meal.
“We are now demanding the price of mealie meal has to be reduced in view of costly fuel as everything will go up,” Mr Gondwe said
He said it was impossible to be lenient with passengers because it was inevitable for the fares to go up.
“We are facing challenges in the transport business, we are asking whatever the ministry of transport can help us, bamene benga titandizeleko bachiteko (anyone who can help us) reduce ma fuel prices, ma fuel prices have gone high,” he said
Another motorist John Banda commented, “So tipempako kapena niku Government kapena niba ndani balibonse bamene benga titandizeleko kuti bachiteko reduce fuel because muziba muntu uliwonse, business iliyonse yetuchita ni fuel.” (We are asking Government or anyone to help reduce fuel prices because all businesses depended on fuel).
“No one can go anywhere minus transport, if anything even fertilizer and fuel have to be subsided, which means you have done everything, because everyone will be able to go for work,” he said
Mr Banda said government could not subsidy others things and leave out fuel which if reduced would make everything cheap.
“The grass root is not benefiting anything from such moves by government. This will greatly hit consumers below the belt,” Mr Banda said.
