We want option to choose between LEADED and UNLEADED fuel
Senator for Harare Province, Miriam Katumba, has called for consumers to be given the option to choose between purchasing blended or unleaded fuel.
Blended fuel is essentially a mixture of unleaded petrol and anhydrous ethanol. For example, a typical blend might consist of 800ml of unleaded petrol and 200ml of anhydrous ethanol to produce 1 litre of E20 petrol.
Anhydrous ethanol is highly purified ethanol containing less than 0.1% water.
Zimbabwe introduced fuel blending to reduce its significant fuel import bill and lower carbon emissions. However, many motorists have raised concerns that blended fuel is not only more expensive. They also argue that it also less efficient, covering a shorter distance than pure unleaded fuel.
Right to choose
Senator Katumba argued that consumers should have the right to choose the type of fuel they purchase, based on their vehicle needs and financial considerations.
“Let me begin by thanking Honourable Senator Zvidzai for this important motion that he raised which is about fuel blending with ethanol. I would like to say petrol blending is a very touching issue because in the past, we used to buy fuel at a low price.
“The increase of fuel price affects many other things such as the prices of goods. It also leads to poverty. Considering that there is Statutory Instrument 51 of 2024 that talks about mandatory blending of petrol, we are saying when there is blending, it is not everyone who can do it well and this is causing a few problems to other vehicles because cars are not the same.
“For example, because of blending of petrol and without mentioning the service station where I procured the petrol, after refueling the car, it cost me a lot of money to repair the car. It started closing up and stopped working, which means the actual process of blending the petrol.
“The Statutory Instrument must allow people to buy fuel of their own choice. There must be leaded and unleaded fuel because we are using different cars. It also gives me freedom to choose the cheaper one. That will reduce some of the problems that we are facing.
“An increase in fuel prices affects a lot of things; it affects movement of a lot of things. If only the Minister would attend to this law and amend it, that can also give the opportunity for some who may be benefiting from this where we say there will be no unleaded fuel. There may be some people benefiting from that. The law must be freed so that people can choose,” she said.
