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False! Government Has Not Reduced Fuel Pump Prices

False

IVerify Zambia’s findings have revealed that government has not reduced fuel pump prices as claimed by a post on Utunesu Facebook page. An examination of the image in the post bearing a price list of petroleum products revealed that it was a statement issued by the ERB two years ago on 31st January 2022.

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Verified Jan, 31 2025

Claim

On January 31, 2025, Utunesu, a Facebook page, posted an image with the heading “Breaking News: the UPND government has reduced the fuel prices effective midnight”. The accompanying image displayed a price list of the purported reduced prices for petroleum products. While some followers questioned the authenticity of the claim, other users flagged the post as misinformation, expressing frustration that the post was misleading, as it presented outdated information in a way that suggested a recent development.

Rating Justification

iVerify Zambia has determined as false the claim by the Utunesu Facebook page that the UPND government has reduced fuel prices effective midnight.

A thorough examination of the image in the post bearing a price list of petroleum products revealed that it was a statement issued by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) on 31st January 2022 (https://www.erb.org.zm/petroleum-pump-prices-revised ).

Further, a check on the ERB Website revealed that no such price reduction had been declared by the Board. The most recent official statement from the Board issued on 31st December 2024 indicates that petroleum pump prices per liter for January 2025 would be K34.67 for petrol, K32.43 for diesel, K28.67 for kerosene, and K31.49 for jet A-1. These figures contradict the reduced prices indicated in the post on the Utunesu Facebook page.

It should be noted, however, that the Board was due to announce the pump prices for February 2025 later the same the claim was made.

Evidence and References

1. Press Statement by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) on Fuel price review for January 2025 https://www.facebook.com/energyregulationboard/posts/pfbid0jCnzFa7DLa8Fg3UchDAHggqoMt7fugtSpyVf46oyxp94iwbCsAcMmw3XRtF8AxVHl

2. Press Statement by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) on Petroleum Pump Prices Revision for December 31, 2022
https://www.erb.org.zm/petroleum-pump-prices-revised
https://www.facebook.com/energyregulationboard/posts/for-immediate-release-press-statement-petroleum-pump-prices-reduced-effective-mi/932861757356491/

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