Trip to Mutare now costs 1 million as prices go up daily

By Tererai Karimakwenda
06 June 2006

Its official! Only millionaires can afford to go to Mutare from the capital as prices for everything continue to rise in Zimbabwe. Yes, it costs Z$1 million to go by bus from Harare to Mutare. With fuel now costing between Z$300,000 and Z$400,000 per litre travel has become a luxury for most. Our Harare correspondent Simon Muchemwa reports that omnibus operators are changing the fares daily in some areas and there seems to be no authority regulating prices. He said a trip to Norton from the central business district now costs Z$200,000 and Chitungwiza has gone up to Z$100,000.

As for the fuel situation, Muchmewa reports that there are no queues in Harare because there is nothing to queue for. He said some fuel is available on the black market for those who can afford it. He added that it is being sold mostly by new farmers who are getting it at subsidised prices from the government. The new farmers have a farm number or “produce number” assigned to them, which they need to claim fuel at the subsidized prices. Muchemwa said they are paying about Z$46,000 per litre and reselling it for at least Z$300,000. But he said it is common knowledge that some of these so-called new farmers are individuals with connections to ZANU-PF officials. Why grow food when you can make money so easily?

We spoke to a woman from Mabvuku on Monday who said her salary as a housemaid was Z$2,5 million. This means her entire salary would go on transportation if she could not walk to work. Muchemwa said the price of bread also increased to Z$120,000 a loaf as one US dollar hit the equivalent of Z$300,000. The shortage of fuel and the high prices being demanded for it have made the transport situation worse. Muchemwa said it is difficult to plan anything and the suffering for many Zimbabweans gets worse by the day.