Tanzania, July 6 -- Dar es Salaam. The saga involving fuel tender controversy has taken a new twist with the government now coming out to defend itself in the matter.

It all started with opposition parties ACT-Wazalendo and Chadema accusing the government of abandoning a competitive procurement system and instead inflating fuel import costs and passing on additional burdens to Tanzanian consumers.

In its widely-circulated official statement, ACT-Wazalendo accused authorities of presiding over what it described as a major fuel import scandal which, the party alleged, cost the country an estimated Sh2.16 trillion between April and June.

The party claimed that it was due to circumstances surrounding the procurement process that petrol pri...