THE Zanzibar government has raised fuel prices in a bid to fight the choking inflation.
The decision has seen the prices of petrol and diesel increasing by 80/- per litre while that of kerosene has gone up by 50/- per litre.
A litre of petrol is now sold at 1,130/- instead of 1,050/-, diesel is obtained for 1,100/- from the previous price of 1,020/- while a litre of kerosene is now sold at 850/- up from 800/- previously.
The government, through the Zanzibar Revenue Board (ZRB), has over the weekend given instructions to all filling stations to effect the new fuel prices.
"We have received instructions from the ZRB to increase the prices," a filling station operator in the Zanzibar Municipality said. No reasons had been given behind the increase of the fuel prices
Among other things, ZRB is the responsible institution for tax collection as well as fix prices of fuel in the Isles.
On the other hand, operators of commuter passenger buses famously known as 'daladala' are now considering to raise transport charges as a way to cover the costs.
This is the second time in less than a year the Isles government has increased fuel prices for a number of reasons, including covering soaring operational costs and increase revenue collection.