Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Jenfan Muswere has said the government has not banned the sale of unleaded fuel in the country.
The government recently announced regulations mandating that all unleaded petrol sold in Zimbabwe be blended with ethanol, as outlined in Statutory Instrument 150 of 2024, published on August 30 in the Government Gazette.
At the time, Energy and Power Development Minister Edgar Moyo said that the changes were made in consultation with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA).
However, during the National University of Science and Technology’s 11th Annual International Conference on Communication and Information Science, Muswere clarified that “no policy position exists” regarding a ban on unleaded fuel. He said (via NewsDay):
The first question is about unleaded fuel. And the response is firstly, I am the official government spokesperson.
There have been discussions around this issue, but the government of Zimbabwe makes science-based decisions.
When we had our discussions some few weeks ago, His Excellency directed that whatever discussions (that) revolved around unleaded fuel, the discussions had not been comprehensive enough and that it was not government position to ban unleaded fuel…
The second item is that in the majority of cases, there has been a taxation loophole around the importation of unleaded fuel.
Muswere said that discussions were held among stakeholders regarding the blending ratios and how combining petrol with ethanol could economically benefit the country. He said:
The rational sense also in part of the discussions around the blending ratios.
The more a country is able, in terms of human capital development, to research, to come up with a blending ratio and reduce its import bill and create employment, the better for the country.
The more a country exports than it imports, it generates a positive balance of trade. But the official government position is that no policy position exists.
The promulgation of Statutory Instrument 150 of 2024 sparked national outrage as motorists argued that they should have the freedom to choose their preferred fuel type instead of being forced to purchase blended petrol.
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