Malawi’s Minister of Information Gospel Kazako has appealed to Malawians to stop politicizing the recent fuel prices hike saying that Tonse Alliance government is not the first to increase the prices.

Kazako was speaking today in Lilongwe where government held a press briefing justifying the fuel prices hike and he was accompanied by Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Chief Executive Officer Henry Kachaje.

According to Kazako it is not only Malawi government that has hiked the fuel prices since it is a global issue while mentioning countries like Zambia, South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania saying they have also hiked their prices.

Kazako explained that globally, fuel prices have gone up to $80 per barrel, hence Malawi cannot be excluded from the global fuel equation.

He then added that the fuel increase should not be a blame game.

Kazako said that while fuel prices have gone up by at least 27 percent in Malawi, it has gone up by over 60 or 70 percent in some countries in Europe.