Blantyre City Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman has divided public opinion after a confrontation at a filling station in which he is accused of assaulting a motorist during efforts to control queues amid the country’s fuel shortages.
The incident reportedly happened on Wednesday at Mount Pleasant TotalEnergies Filling Station, where a tanker had arrived to offload fuel.
According to an account circulating on social media, a motorist whose vehicle had been at the station for days was asked to move it to allow the tanker to offload safely.
After moving the vehicle, the driver reportedly attempted to return to his original position before Osman, who allegedly arrived later, blocked him and directed him to join the queue from the back.
he account further alleges that Osman struggled to explain his position before striking the motorist with a pipe he was carrying. The confrontation attracted attention from other people at the station, with some reportedly restraining the motorist when he attempted to defend himself.
The incident has triggered debate over whether Osman’s involvement in managing fuel queues is restoring order or encouraging abuse of authority.
Lawyer Alexious Kamangila has condemned the alleged assault, questioning why Osman appears to act without being held accountable.
“This is how injustice works. Jomo goes around beating people, no one is stopping him, not even the police. A man with balls stands up to Jomo, everyone goes to stop and hold him,” Kamangila wrote.
He urged the affected motorist to report the matter to the police, saying he wanted to see whether authorities would take action against the mayor.
“Maybe most of you don’t care about the rule of law, I do care. I plead with the man to report this criminal assault to the police, and watch what will happen to Jomo. I promise you,” he added.
Kamangila also questioned the continued use of force against motorists when the underlying problem is fuel scarcity, arguing that authorities should focus on making fuel available instead of subjecting citizens to confrontations at filling stations.
However, some social media users have defended Osman’s presence at filling stations, arguing that he has helped restore order where motorists and minibus drivers scramble for fuel.
Semu Kangola, who said he witnessed Osman’s intervention at Petroda Filling Station in Mount Pleasant, acknowledged that physical violence was unacceptable but credited the mayor with helping control disorderly queues.
“I, in no way support Jomo resorting to physical violence. A better approach kunali kukambirana,” he wrote.
Kangola said the situation at the station had been chaotic, with minibuses forming queues in different places and some motorists jumping from one line to another.
He claimed Osman initially pushed back people who were disrupting the queues and even used his vehicle to block motorists attempting to jump the line.
Another social media user, Ethel Mbite, argued that Osman was trying to prevent tensions at filling stations from escalating into riots.
Mbyte said the mayor’s intervention should be understood within the context of public order challenges caused by fuel shortages, arguing that immediate action can sometimes be necessary to protect other motorists.
However, the contrasting reactions have raised questions about the limits of a mayor’s authority and whether efforts to maintain order can justify physical force against citizens.
While some residents see Osman as stepping into a gap left by the absence of effective queue management, others warn that no public official should act above the law, regardless of the challenges facing the country.
