RIOT police on Monday fired teargas in two outlying townships of Zimbabwe’s capital to quell a protest over the government’s massive hike in fuel prices, the official Ziana news agency reported. A bus had its windows smashed and one person was arrested in the protest, in Mabvuku and Tafara townships, the agency said. Police managed to break up the protest by mid-morning. The protest was over a massive hike in fares on the commuter minibuses used by most urban workers, caused by the government’s latest increase in fuel prices. Fares from Mabvuku and Tafara to the city centre jumped from Z$24 to Z$40 (43 US cents to 72 US cents) on Wednesday, after the government hiked petrol and diesel prices by about 70% the night before. Residents in the two populous neighbourhoods had tried to negotiate with transport companies at the weekend to lower the fares. Although Zimbabwe has suffered a severe fuel crisis for the past 18 months due to acute foreign exchange shortages, prices have tripled over the same period. The nation’s largest labour federation has threatened to stage a national stayaway early in July if the government does not roll back the latest hike. – AFP
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