I am old enough to remember the Sunday driving ban of the 1970s imposed by the government to mitigate rising fuel costs induced by the energy crisis. The ongoing war between Iran against the United States and Israel is leading us back to a similar crisis. With fuel prices having risen by roughly 30 per cent in the recent hike, more measures must be taken to prepare for a likely worsening future.
If I appear to dwell too much on events in the Persian Gulf, it reflects the scale of the consequences we may face. Fuel prices could double or even triple, quickly affecting everyday life. Higher transport costs would push up fares and raise the price of food and other essential goods. The country would also face mounting pressure on its foreign exchange reserves to cover costlier imports while government budgets would be strained by rising operational expenses. What begins at the pump will spread throughout the entire economy.
While exact government fuel costs are unclear due to aggregated reporting, the large convoys we frequently see point to a significant bill. The recent decision by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to limit her convoy is a step in the right direction but more can be done across the public sector to curb rising expenses.
Rather than relying on in-person meetings, online meetings should become the default. Surprisingly, many of us have yet to accept that what can be said face-to-face can also be said online. What President Samia has shown is that discipline must begin at the top before it is demanded of citizens.
Another neglected area with strong potential for fuel and cost savings is speed limits. A mid-sized car driven 20,000 kilometres in one year uses roughly 600 litres more fuel at 130 kph than at 80 kph. That translates to approximately 2.4 million shillings saved per vehicle at the prices I pay for fuel. Based on an estimated 380,000 vehicles registered in Tanzania, I estimate from my driving experience that a quarter of motorists drive at excessive speeds. Adopting an economical speed limit of 80 kph could save the country more than 200 billion shillings in fuel imports and prevent hundreds of tragic accidents.
Some of us who grew up in the 1970s learned that when a crisis strikes, it is already too late to have options. Today, while still early in a developing crisis, we retain the advantage of choice. If we reduce excess, enforce discipline and use fuel more wisely, we stand a chance of avoiding harsher measures later. The responsibility lies with both citizens and leadership.
