Long lines as Malawi experiences fuel shortages

Malawi is currently experiencing a shortage of petrol and diesel, forcing motorists to spend hours in long lines in search of motor vehicle fuel at service stations in the central and southern cities of the country.

Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Chief Executive Charles Kafumba told journalists on Friday that the shortages were due to logistical problems that have affected the loading of both petrol and diesel from the Malawi Cargo Centre Limited fuel depot in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, to the landlocked state.

However, he said, loading of both products resumed early this week, and the first fuel truck trucks are expected in the country on Friday.

In the meantime, the country was being supplied from the southern ports of Beira and Nacala in Mozambique, he added.

"This arrangement has considerably extended truck turnaround period as trucks from Beira are going as far as the northern areas of Mzuzu and Chilumba, over 2,000 km away from Beira. The northern are would ordinarily be supplied from Dar es Salaam, which is much closer than the two Mozambican cities.”

Kafumba assured the nation that the fuel supply situation will normalise in the course of next week.