(right) and his Deputy George Zulu (centre) inspect the Lusaka fuel
storage depot with Lusaka Province Minister Obvious Mwaliteta before
commissioning of the plant
MINES, Energy and Water Development Christopher Yaluma have said Government is doing everything possible to satisfy the market by the available stocks of fuel in the country.
Mr Yaluma said when he appeared on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Sunday Interview programme that the Government was working hard to ensure Indeni and Lusaka depots does not run out of stock.
He explained that since the Patriotic Front (PF) took over the Government, the country had never run out of fuel because stocks were always available at the depots.
He said the country had never had shortage of fuel which had crippled the business.
“Let me put on this way, we haven’t been crippled, we haven’t run out of fuel, we can substantiate that are satisfying the markets because the opening balance remains in the tanks,” the minister said.
He said the Government had responded favourably to the market adding insisting that there were enough stocks of fuel in the depots when the country was reported to have no fuel.
He said when the country had been reported to have no fuel on March 9th, contrary the country had enough fuel in stocks saying the shortage was blown out of context by people.
He said the Government was finding ways and means in ensuring that fuel was at normal level in the country.
He assured the people to remain calm as the Government was doing everything possible to clear the fuel stocks in the docked ship.
Mr Yaluma said the fuel in the docked ship would be in the country soon as part of satisfying the market.
The minister also said the Government had no intention of increasing the fuel price as the result of slipping kwacha.
The prices of crude oil on the international market has fallen to its one-month low of around US$54 a barrel.
He said the Government had not denied looking at other options in the suppliers of fuel adding that the Government was looking at the suppliers of fuel critically.
This minister is dull….
Seeing is believing, why were there fuel queues at filling stations? When you have minimum balance in your account, you cannot withdraw unless you are closing the account, similarly, the minimum balance in the tank can not be withdrawn unless you are closing the plants. This explanation from the minister is absolutely unfair after we spent days and nights at petrol filling stations waiting for fuel; we are being treated like we all have amnesia.
Just resign bwana, no excuses. When yu do the right thing and resign, this will not happen again. That’s what leadership is about, taking responsibility for our actions, mistakes, shortcomings oversights etc. the shortage was there for a number of days. If yu cannot resign over this, then what would make you resign?
Tribalist Yaluma: Useless man, enemy of progress,…..
Not just dull but very dull
I echo your sentiments Mr Yaluma ,it was just a temporary set back that the free.mason and his minions believed the Government had failed.
@ robin
bottom kissing before dinner?
There are times when “tondolo” is better than anything. Ba Yaluma, tondolo; or “funga kinwa!!
Only in Zambia do you pay someone to be an empty suit!!
Let the past go and learn to live in the present anticipating the future. Why lick these wounds Bwana?
What an *****! This man is an insult on our intelligence. As a result of the corrupt nature of the PF they are the ones who stand to benefit from this shortage. They manufactured this shortage in order to bring in a different supplier. Dalbit from Kenya, who were suppliers in Rupiah Banda’s time as president are poised to return. The Chairman of Dalbit was in Zambia recently to meet the President over the same. He was actually driven to the meeting by Amos Chanda. They have promised to meet the PF’s campaign costs for 2016. This episode should show the people of Zambia that the PF government does not care about the country as long as they are able to make a buck for themselves. May the Lord Almighty save us from this unbridled greed and lack of patriotism.
Yaluma,issues will soon catch up with u soon.u are clever in your own eyes but not to GOD.Those medicines u are using will soon expire.U will reap what u are sowing soon .
This arrogance is taking us nowhere. I would suggest that whether there is or was a crisis or not, this Minister should apologize to the citizens for the queues that were caused by what he is calling “no crisis”. We must not take people for granted by ignoring how they feel when they are going through hardship, artificial or not.
Lungu control your ministers this is a foolish statement because every one know that there was no fuel in the country petrol stations were dry.
These are the type of ministers that LUNG can retain after SATA had threatened that he was not going to adopt them in 2016 elections. These are the guys who are ready to SEBANA WIKUTE together with his friend in Worksand supply collegue. Yaluma has become a qualified lier as the saying goes and he is even never ashamed of his lies. LUNGU must save us from the emberassment from our neibours.
KOMA MINISTER UYU NI MBUZI ZO-ONA!!
This is the case of a Goat running a ministry.
If there were no fuel shortages, & stocks were normal, can “Mbuzi 24- Yaluma”, tell us why there were massive queue’s, & disruption in Zambia?? Does “Mbuzi 24” realise the Fuel fiasco weve just witnessed has negative knock on effects on the nation’s economy/ investor confidence?? Mr Chagwa, You call yourself a President, what are You doing about this imbecile attempting to justify his incompetence, & stupidity??
Late Mwanawasa, “a Proper President”, knew how to deal with inept Clowns in such positions, like Yaluma. Get rid of it NOW, before it compromises your position, & reputation further down the lavatory pan!
On a genuine note, can someone answer me this question. Are Zambian ministers appointed from the political arena or vetted from the pubilc on merit? Of late i have noted unethical practices and professional negligence.
Two contradictory statements from the same Yaluma in one sitting.
1.) “Let me put on this way, we haven’t been crippled, we haven’t run out of fuel” and
2.) “The fuel in the docked ship would be in the country soon”
And he makes these two contradictory statements with complete impunity because he knows the appointing authority i.e. President is too pre-occupied with his illness to do anything.
Just to clarify “2.) “The fuel in the docked ship would be in the country soon”
When discharging fuel, tankers DO NOT DOCK, actually they are at “inner anchorage” and connected by flexible discharge hose to “single point discharge unit”.
So much about Ministers knowledge about maritime oil transportation
I thot I witnessed one of the worst interviews. I pitied Gravazio for withstanding poor answers as those from a group 3, up to the end! Please give us a break from this mediocrity.
This man is arrogant and very insulting to the Zambian people who put him where he is. Would people enjoy queing for hour if there was no shortage of fuel? Mr Yaluma it takes strong character to accept blame, right now you are shifting blame. Please humble yourself don’t take us for fools.