Fuel Price Hike Pushes Up Kombi Fares Across Zimbabwe

Notice of Fare Hike in a Kombi. Commuters in Zimbabwe are paying higher fares after rising fuel prices pushed transport operators to increase charges.

Commuters across Zimbabwe are facing higher transport costs after the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) announced a significant increase in fuel prices on Wednesday.

Under the new pricing structure, the maximum pump price of petrol (Blend E5) has risen to US$1.71 per litre, up from US$1.56. Diesel prices have increased even more sharply, climbing to US$1.77 per litre from US$1.52.

The increase in diesel prices is particularly significant because diesel powers most public transport vehicles, freight trucks, mining equipment, and agricultural machinery. As a result, transport operators have quickly passed the higher costs on to passengers, pushing up commuter fares in several cities.

ZERA said the government had intervened to cushion consumers from even steeper increases. Without that intervention, the authority said diesel would have reached US$1.90 per litre, while petrol would have climbed to US$1.81 per litre.

The fuel hike has already triggered fare increases among operators of commuter minibuses, commonly known as kombis. In Harare, fares on some routes have increased sharply. A trip from the city centre to Zvido Shopping Centre has reportedly risen from US$1.50 to US$2.

In Bulawayo, kombi fares from the city centre to high-density suburbs such as Luveve and Mahatshula have doubled, increasing from 50 cents to US$1.

Many commuters say the price increases are adding further strain to already stretched household budgets as the cost of living continues to rise. Some residents also expressed concern that transport fares rarely decrease even when fuel prices fall. Similar complaints were raised in the past when fares remained high after transport restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted. Economic analysts say fuel prices are a key driver of inflation in Zimbabwe because they directly influence transport costs, food prices, and the cost of moving goods across the country.

fuel price increase; kombi fares; Zimbabwe