Zim govt mulls fuel levy for road rehabilitation

Government is considering introducing a levy on fuel that will go towards rehabilitation of the country's roads.

The proposed levy will result in an additional one cent added on the price of petrol and two cents on the price of diesel.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Obert Mpofu told a committee of Parliament that the levy is still under consultation.

"The levy is still under consultation. We need to get consensus from other stakeholders. And we are putting a lot of pressure on them," he said.

"In doing these adjustments, you tend to meet a lot of resistance from community leaders saying an increase in fuel prices will drive up the cost of other things."

Minister Mpofu acknowledged that Zimbabwe's road infrastructure still requires a lot of work, and said funds accrued from road tolling by statutory body, the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara), is inadequate for effective rehabilitation.

Zimbabwe, in partnership with the African Development Bank, is working to develop a Transport Master plan, the first draft is expected to be ready by mid this year.