The persistent nationwide fuel shortage has pushed transportation fares up, with commuters digging deeper into their pockets.
For example, commuters from Area 25 to Lilongwe’s Old Town are paying K6 000, up from K4 000 while from Chinsapo to Lilongwe Bus Depot, they are paying K2 000, up from K1 000.
From Lumbadzi to Mponela in Dowa, bus fares have shot up to K11 000 from K6 000.
In Blantyre, some minibus conductors are asking for K4 000 from Chirimba Township to Limbe, up from K2 500.
Forty-three-year-old Victoria Chimangeni, who lives in Ndirande, Blantyre and sells bananas, said she is now paying K2 500 from Ndirande to Limbe instead of K1 500.
“That makes me spend K5 000 per return trip. I have no option, but pass on the amount to the buyers,” she said.
Motorcycle taxi (kabaza) operator from Chirimba Township, Jafali Binawuli, said sometimes he spends the whole day looking for petrol.
“I cannot afford petrol on the black market where it is selling up to K20 000 per litre,” he said.
From Mzuzu to Karonga, passengers are paying about K60 000, up from K40 000. From Blantyre to Lilongwe, passengers are paying more than K55 000, up from around K40 000.
In an interview, Minibus Owners Association of Malawi secretary general Coaxley Kamange said fuel is selling at K20 000 per litre on the black market, a situation that has forced operators to hike fares.
However, he said the association does not encourage its members to buy fuel on the black market.
“The minibus operators spend more time searching for fuel, once they get it, they want to recover the cost. That’s why we are having unstable bus fares,” said Kamange.
According to him, the situation has been compounded by shortages of both petrol and diesel.
Passenger Welfare Association of Malawi president Don Napuwa said some passengers are opting to walk because they cannot afford exorbitant fares.
“We can only ask government to solve the problem. Otherwise, gains they have made in terms of economic recovery will go several steps backward,” he said.
Meanwhile, the country’s worsening foreign-exchange shortage is forcing the National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) to rethink how it secures fuel.
Last week, the State-owned importer suggested alternative payment terms, currencies, transport routes and financing arrangements to keep supplies flowing.
Nocma is seeking “440 000 metric tonnes of refined petroleum products, automotive gas oil and motor gasoline” through a competitive tender covering the ports of Beira and Nacala in Mozambique and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Tender documents issued on Thursday show that the company is inviting suppliers to propose alternative payment arrangements that could reduce immediate pressure on scarce United States dollars.a
