On 4 March 2026, ZERA raised diesel from US$1.52 to US$1.77 per litre, while petrol went up from US$1.56 to US$1.71. Then, on Wednesday, 18 March, diesel jumped again to US$2.05 and petrol to US$2.17 per litre.
ZCTU Secretary General Tirivanhu Marimo said that while adjusting fuel prices in line with global oil markets is generally acceptable, the scale of these increases has shocked workers and ordinary Zimbabweans, who are now paying more than double the transport costs. Said Marimo:
“ZERA claims increases are ostensibly because of the conflict in the Middle East. We do not believe that this is entirely the cause of the increase as other neighbouring countries, with the exception of Malawi, have fuel prices that are less than US$1.50.
“ZCTU believes our fuel is overpriced due to numerous irrational taxes and levies. For instance, the government taxes 86 cents per liter of blend petrol and also taxes 42 cents per liter for diesel. These are costs directly transferred to the consumer by businesspeople.
“We also find it irrational to blend petrol with ethanol if the end result is an increase in fuel costs.”
Marimo said the fuel price hike is pushing up inflation and driving up the cost of everyday goods and services, making life even tougher for workers.
He warned that Zimbabwe’s working people have already suffered as wages have struggled to keep up with rising prices.
With the current fuel rates, Marimo added, it’s becoming almost impossible for workers across all sectors to manage on their salaries, support their families, or even get to work. He added:
“The ZCTU feels price increases should have been staggered over a period of time so as to help workers to adjust to the constant increase of transport costs as well as other basic commodities.
“We warn the government that the current wave of fuel increases could trigger civil unrest from already agitated Zimbabweans who are on the edge, as happened in January 2019 when fuel was increased by between 130% and 150%.”
The ZCTU has urged the government to cut or even scrap fuel taxes altogether, warning that keeping prices at the current levels will only add to the suffering of workers, businesses, and ordinary Zimbabweans.
The union also called on employers to give meaningful pay rises to help workers cope with the rising cost of living, which has been driven up further by the steep fuel prices.