The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says they are against any proposal by the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) government to adjust prices of fuel.
Through a statement released yesterday, DPP publicity secretary Shadric Namalomba said as a party committed to serving the needs of the poor Malawian people, they cannot sit idly by and watch citizens suffer from increased costs of necessities of life.
“The current cost of living in Malawi is already unbearable for many. Basic goods such as salt, food, and school fees are already beyond the reach of many Malawians. A further increase in fuel prices will only exacerbate the situation, pushing more people into poverty,” said Namalomba.
Namalomba continued to say that, the proposed fuel price increase will have a severe impact on the farming community. The price of fertilizer will skyrocket, with suppliers demanding over MK150,000 for a 50 kg bag.
He then urged the MCP government to find better ways to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply in the country instead of hiding behind price increases.
“It is time for them to stop their wasteful spending, including the President’s frequent globe-trotting expeditions. Just last week, he spent MK4.5 billion on his travels, and this week, he is headed to China. This kind of extravagant spending is unnecessary, and the money saved could go towards subsidizing the cost of fuel,” he explained.
Namalomba added that the MERA Board has failed to implement the automatic fuel price mechanism since November 2022, and this is unacceptable, and they must be held accountable for their inaction.
According to Namalomba, DPP stands with the poor Malawian people and rejects any proposal to increase fuel prices.
The DPP statement follows the recommendation for fuel adjustment by the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources.
Yesterday, Chairperson of the Natural Resources Committee Welani Chilenga presented a report in Parliament, where he urged MERA to hike fuel prices at a reasonable price.
Chilenga said the fuel hike should be strictly for cost recovery and not for increasing profits.
The report brought different views in parliament, and DPP MPs were against the report, and they protested by walking out of the chamber.
Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) Executive Director John Kapito has also asked the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority to adjust fuel prices in the country.
Kapito is observing that the current fuel pump price does not reflect the total landing cost fuel importers incur thus leading them to dig deeper into their pockets just to have the precious commodity delivered to Malawi.
