Motorists continue to struggle to access fuel in service stations across the country with the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) acknowledging that volumes remain below demand.
Over the weekend, many fuel service stations nationwide did not have fuel and the shortage continued up to yesterday morning.
At Makheta Puma Service Station in Blantyre, minibus driver Frackson Bwanausi said he has been spending nights at filling stations and has failed to conduct business for two days due to the crisis.
In an interview, Fuel Retailers Association of Malawi chairperson Happy Jere said the volumes that retailers are receiving remain low with some service stations outside cities going dry over two weeks.
He said: “Business-wise, we have also been impacted because our operations depend on sales.”
Malawi has been experiencing fuel shortages for months but the latest crisis has been worsened by election-linked protests in Tanzania, which disrupted loading and hauling of fuel.
The unrest left scores of fuel transporters stranded, after protesters ransacked Kasumulu Border, where Malawians clear their goods.
Transporters Association of Malawi spokesperson Frank Banda confirmed yesterday that the border has since reopened and trucks are crossing into Malawi.
He said: “Over 500 trucks carrying dry and wet cargo were stuck at the border but we are now allowed to cross between 8am and 4pm under escort.”
Mera spokesperson Fitina Khonje admitted in an interview yesterday that the volumes that have been delivered in the country have not satisfied the demand but noted that National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) and Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL) continue loading fuel.
She said: “The information that we have from Nocma and PIL indicates that the loadings continue and that the current situation will ease.”
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition has urged the government to release a report on the causes of fuel shortage, including current stock levels, outstanding supplier debts and steps being taken to restore supply.
Last week, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Shadric Namalomba said demands by fuel suppliers for Malawi to clear about $60 million (about K105 billion) debt compounded the country’s fuel woes as they suspended supply.
He added that the government managed the issue by making available the forex to both Nocma and PIL.
Mera data shows that Malawi uses 1.05 million litres each of diesel and petrol per day, which means the country spends $600 million (about K1 trillion) on fuel importation per year, according to the Reserve Bank of Malawi.
