CSPR Demands Fair Fuel Policy
By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusaka, Zambia24 -- (02-04-2026) --- The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) is demanding a fair fuel policy, urging the Government to ensure its response to the current fuel crisis protects low-income households, remains transparent, and safeguards the country’s fiscal stability.
CSPR Executive Director Isabel Mutembo Mukelabai says the decision to zero-rate Value Added Tax and suspend Excise Duty on petrol and diesel, while necessary, ignores the needs of the poor by excluding kerosene, a key source of energy for many rural and low-income families.
She noted that the measures were introduced after a special Cabinet meeting chaired by to mitigate the impact of rising global oil prices linked to the .
CSPR said the policy disproportionately benefits urban consumers, while the rural poor face sharp increases in kerosene prices, now at K32.26 per litre from K21.06.
The organisation also warned that the tax exemptions could strain the 2026 national budget, risking funding for key social sectors such as education, health, and social protection.
CSPR has called on government to extend tax relief to kerosene for the April to June period and to publish a full fiscal impact assessment of the measures.
It further urged authorities to enhance transparency by releasing detailed fuel price structures and to pursue long-term solutions to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
The organisation maintained that emergency measures must remain targeted, time-bound, and transparent to protect both vulnerable households and the country’s fiscal stability.
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