DAR ES SALAAM, April 4 -- THE increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene is not an April 1 Fools Day scare. It is real and all the papers of April 2, carried frontpage headlines to show the concern.

“Fuel Price Outcry”, shouted the Good Citizen in thick black ink. The Custodian put it as follows: “MPs concerned on EWURAs 33% cap price increase”. The Daily Blog gave some hope: “Government moves to address fuel prices”.

While one regulator, the Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) allowed a 33% increase in fuel prices, another regulator, the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) was all against fare increases without the approval of the Authority, despite the non-disputable evid...