Filling stations across the country have run out of fuel amid a strike by truck drivers and fuel transporters.
Reports show that filling stations in Dedza and Mangochi have been closed due to lack of fuel. People in Lilongwe and Blantyre have also reported finding difficulties in accessing fuel.
A Blantyre resident told Malawi24 this evening that he found long queues at several filling stations in the city as people struggled to access the liquid.
Currently, truck drivers are on strike, demanding salary increment from their employees and want government to intervene.
This afternoon, truck owners under Transporters Association of Malawi and Fuel Transporters Association of Malawi have also parked their vehicles saying government should stop giving the majority of contracts to foreign companies.
In a statement today, the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has admitted that there are fuel stockouts in filling stations caused by the drivers’ strike.
According to MERA, authorities are making every effort to address the fuel stockouts
The regulatory authority has, however, said the country has sufficient stocks with a total of 22 million and 32 million litres of petrol and diesel, respectively.
The volumes translate into 28-days stock cover and 54-days stock cover for petrol and diesel, respectively.
“MERA therefore would like to appeal to the general public to refrain from panic buying of fuel. Furthermore, fuel retail stations are reminded that hoarding of fuel is prohibited and MERA will apply stiff penalties to any retail station found to engage in such malpractice,” reads the statement.
