Fed up with prolonged fuel scarcity, Blantyre City Council mayor Isaac Jomo Osman has expressed frustration over apparent lack of action to resolve the crisis that has stalled social and economic activity.
In a live broadcast on his Facebook page, he shared his experience of spending a night in a queue at a service station until 2am yesterday.
station. | Video grab
He said: “To those living in the comfort zone, you cannot understand [the situation], but those experiencing this kind of life. It is too much.
“May God have mercy on us. Kupuma timafuna kupuma, koma tipuma bwanji [we deserve time to rest, but we cannot in the circumstances] when people are struggling.”
Osman, who is a member of the governing Democratic Progressive Party, said he feels for President Peter Mutharika who loves the country and its people.
“Do you think he [the President] is living peacefully the way things are? I know that the big man loves Malawi, he loves the people of Malawi,” he said.
Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) public relations and consumer affairs manager Fitina Khonje referred to the Ministry of Energy our questions on when the fuel crisis, now in its seventh week, will improve.
But the ministry’s spokesperson Joan Thaundi asked for more time to consult, but had not responded by press time.
Meanwhile, transporters say fuel haulage from Tanzania continues to be hampered by the condition of the Chiweta section of the M1 in Rumphi District where tankers are getting stuck almost every day, blocking the road.
Recently, Transporters Association of Malawi spokesperson Frank Banda said they are forced to pay K500 000 for one vehicle to be towed up the hilly and worn out road.
Some road users have attributed the persistent fuel shortage to frequent blockages at Namiashi Hills on the Chiweta-Mzuzu section.
Human rights activist Lyton Yusuf said the stretch is inconveniencing travellers because road users are forced to spend nights there.
Malawi has been experiencing erratic availability of fuel since late 2021 which authorities have largely attributed to foreign exchange scarcity. The country generates about $1 billion in export revenue against an import bill of $3 billion covering fuel, medicines, fertiliser and other essentials.
