THERE is a mixed reaction among fuel
users in the country following the proposed increase levy on petroleum products
which was announced in Parliament on Thursday this week when the Minister for
Finance tabled the national budget for the coming 2015/16 financial year. Speaking
in an exclusive interview yesterday in Dar es Salaam transport stakeholders have
expressed their disappointment over the proposed new price on levy and said
that, it would continue haunting the transport sector in the country. Hamidu
Juma, a daladala driver plying between Posta and Makumbusho in the city said
that, the government should revert its decision and called on Parliamentarians
not to pass the proposed budget bearing the fact that transport industry is the
most important sector for national economy. He wondered the rationale of
proposing rise of fuel levy, and yet there is a constant decrease of fuel
prices at a global market. Obeid Kaswati, a taxi driver in the city said that
with this sudden increase, users of transporting vehicles should expect fare rise
whatsoever which would ultimately compel transport users deep into their
pockets to afford the anticipated prices. However, he is of the view of the
fact that the Parliament should not pass the budget and instead has called on
the review to maximize profits among transport operators in the country as a
whole. Rehema Makangale, a petrol seller at Oilcom filing station at the heart
of the city centre welcomed the idea as she knew his company would make a
profit when fuel prices shoots up. Obadia Kasara who runs a private office at
the city centre fears if the proposed budget would be passed as he knows that
there will be a fare increase for commuter transport, a rare phenomenon that
disturbs the low income city residents. He has however, appealed to the
Parliamentarians not to pass the proposed budget this around bearing the fact
that there has been a series of strikes formed by transporters on certain
issues related with the government’s refusal to increase transportation fare. Commenting
on the kerosene increase, a cross section of Das res Salaam city residents have
expressed their concern with deep hearted feelings for the people who lives in
rural areas, saying that, the increase would continue haunting the budget of
low income earners. Salima Ally, a resident of Mwananyamala ‘B’ wonders as the
current price of kerosene continues to haunt the majority poor people in rural
areas who utilize the product for domestic use, what of if the proposed levy
increase is passed how could the price be fetched . The survey by the Guardian
shows that, kerosene in the country is sold more or vlerss rthe price of diesel
and petrol since the Energy and Water Utility Regulatory Authority (EWURA)
introduced monthly indicative price quotations for oil products in the country.
A decade ago, before the introduction of indicative price for kerosene, the
product was sold almost half the price of petrol and diesel, but now it is
surprising to note that, there is a slight difference in price quotations and
sometimes kerosene price is sold higher than either of the two oil products. The
prevailing situation according to the survey reveals that, the product has been
affecting the budget of the low income earners majority of whom are rural
dwellers in the country as the indicative prices by EWURA does not make an
effective change on the product. Kerosene oil has become a common usable
commodity as a main source of fuel for people in rural communities as the
supply of electricity in these areas is very scanty and rather inadequate due
to poor infrastructure. Users of the
product say that the product continues to be fetched at a higher price rate
that is not easily affordable and is more aggravated by the indicative price
levels which keep on fluctuating month after month. In early 1970, over four decades ago, the
price of a twenty littre full of a tin of kerosene was sold at Tsh. 21 only,
recalls mzee Zablon Megwe (78), now a retired prisons officer. He said that, by then kerosene was being sold in
specially manufactured tins carrying 20 litres which nowadays are not in the
market. However, he added that, the
retail prices for the commodity could be sold by shopkeepers running a retail
shop in special locally made kits of measurements known as 'Kibaba'. He said in
an exclusive interview yesterday in Dar es Salaam that, he could manage to
survive with the little salary he was earning at that time of Sh. 620/- per
month as a prison officer that could cater for other household needs for the
whole month.
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