Tanzania, April 3 -- Dar es Salaam. A wave of anxiety and public outcry has swept across Tanzania following a historic surge in fuel prices, with citizens calling on the government to intervene urgently to prevent a total cost-of-living meltdown.

The price of petrol and diesel rose by an average of over Sh900 per litre effective April 1, a sharp increase described as the highest seen in over two decades.

The hike, announced by the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura), has been attributed to the escalating international crisis involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has severely disrupted global oil production and logistics.

From the bustling streets of Dar es Salaam to the highland farms of Njombe and the...