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Fuel
crisis
Media Monitoring
Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ)
Extracted from Weekly Media Update 2004-35
Monday August 30th – Sunday September 5th 2004
THE resurfacing
of fuel queues during the week following a price hike in the commodity
exposed the media’s failure to fully investigate and adequately
inform their audiences on issues affecting their livelihoods. However,
the private Press and the government electronic media were the worst
performers in this regard. For example, none of them reported on
the fuel queues or fully explained the reasons for the increases.
Only private radio stations and the government Press did, although
the latter appeared to downplay the main reason behind the queues.
The private
Press and the government electronic media’s indifference to the
matter was illustrated by ZBC, which covered the development only
once. Even then, it was reported as a one-off event with Power FM
(30/8, 1pm) merely announcing that, "fuel prices have
gone up with private importers citing recent price hikes on the
commodity with the international market." The station
cited private importers attributing the increase to "a
weakening local currency" but provided no further
details. Instead, it tried to exonerate government from involvement
in the increase by noting that fuel retail companies now charge
prices for the commodity independently after the authorities liberalized
the industry this year.
However, the station remained silent on the impact the price increases
would have on the economy (with petrol rising from $3 200 to $3
500 per litre while diesel rose to $3 600 per litre). This was only
tackled by The Daily Mirror (1/9), The Manica Post
(3/9) and Sunday News (5/9).
But while The
Manica Post and SundayNews contended that the "fuel
price increases (would) induce ripple price hikes" and
"slow economic turnaround and make it difficult to achieve
inflation targets", the Mirror disagreed.It
quoted economist Moses Chundu saying that Zimbabwe would remain
on target to meet the year-end inflation rate of below 200 percent
because the increase would only reflect an inflation increase of
about eight percent, which would still be much lower than the cumulative
inflation.
Private radio
stations also sought expert views on what was likely to be the reasons
behind the hikes and the shortages. Studio 7 (30/8), for example,
quoted economist Eric Bloch as saying the increase came as no surprise
because it was a ripple effect of increases in "the
world crude oil prices as a result of diminishing fuel supplies…"
Besides, claimed
Bloch, Zimbabwe"is paying roughly 35- 45% more to fuel
suppliers … I expect the price of fuel to rise again in the next
six weeks by at least another 10%."
Meanwhile, the
SundayNews put an old conspiracy spin to the fuel issue
by attributing "the perceived shortage"
to "hoarding" by some garages who wanted
to cash in on the fuel price increases. The Herald (30/8
& 2/9), on the other hand, claimed that the queues had only
formed at filling stations selling fuel at a cheaper price, an assertion
that seemed to belie statements by Reserve Bank Governor, Gideon
Gono, who was quoted (2/9) saying he was working with stakeholders
to "ensure that the smooth flow of fuel is maintained".
Studio 7 (5/9)
however quoted some analysts expressing scepticism at Gono’s assurances.
One of them, Daniel Ndlela, noted that the RBZ’s Homelink facility
(meant to tap foreign currency from Zimbabweans in the Diaspora)
would not significantly help to sustain the country’s fuel needs.
He said the only "measure that brings foreign currency
is exports and exports are going down."
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