Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lusaka fuel crisis deepens as transporters and Government reach deadlock

Share

Fuel Crisis persists in Lusaka
Fuel Crisis persists in Lusaka

A meeting schedule to take place between Government and the Zambian Truckers Association and Petroleum Association failed to take off after police failed to heed to demands from the associations.

The association leaders were demanding for the release of their colleagues who were detained for berating up a security guard who shot dead their colleague on Tuesday in Lusaka.

The leaders have since refused to dialogue with government until their demands are met.

By lunch time on Friday, the truck drivers were threatening to leave the premises owing to delays by police to release their colleagues who are in police custody.

The protest by the two associations has caused a serious fuel shortage in most parts of Lusaka.

And Energy Minister Dora Siliya has called for calm and patience among motorists in Lusaka as Government intervenes in the matter.

In a statement, Ms Siliya who is currently out of the country assured that all is being done to avert the worsening of the fuel situation.

‘I am currently out of Zambia but I have been informed about the fuel shortage since yesterday. My understanding is that one oil marketing company has been suspecting foul play in the quality of the oil delivered by a particular truck driver. As such they trailed the driver to a private yard where they suspected he intended to remove some fuel and replace it with water or kerosene,’ she said.

‘A confrontation occurred resulting in the OMC security firm shooting at the driver. I believe this has resulted in other truck drivers protesting by refusing to deliver fuel to filling stations,’ Ms Siliya revealed.

‘I will only be able to know the full details when I return tomorrow and will update you. In the mean time the Ministry is doing all to normalise the situation. Honourables Mwila and Kampyongo are still in meeting with the fuel truck drivers’

She said her Deputy Charles Zulu met with the truck drivers last night to plead for them to continue delivering fuel even after their colleague was shot dead.

‘However the request was unattainable as most were drank and uncontrollable and some were found with dangerous weapons. This forced the police to intervene and arrest some drivers.  Hon Mwila is still in a meeting with the drivers. .I will keep you updated.’

Meanwhile, the Energy Regulation Board has assured the nation that Zambia still has enough fuel stocks.

ERB Manager for Public Relations Kwali Mfuni said in a statement that the ERB and Government are engaging the transporters to ensure that the situation is normalised as soon as possible.

‘The ERB would like to urge all players in the petroleum sector to comply with all laid sown procedures and standards as well as promote dialogue in the event of any dialogue,’ Ms. Mfuni said.

But most of the fuel stations visited in Lusaka still did not have fuel as at lunch time on Friday.

Lusaka Fuel Crisis
Lusaka Fuel Crisis
Motorists line up for fuel in Lusaka
Motorists line up for fuel in Lusaka

24 COMMENTS

  1. Break down of law and order. How can the police fail to act professionally and avert the suffering of the whole country. This is like a fool dying of thirst in the abundance of water! How much loss is the country suffering from this crisis and yet top govt officials have failed to resolve the problem

    • Top govt officials are not even in Zambia! Too busy following Lungus example, traveling around the world and collecting per diems to worry about their duties back home!

      That is why Lungu appoints Deputy Ministers – so someone can do the job while the actual Ministers are on holiday at Taxpayers expense!

    • The employers of these drivers need to fire them and hire competent drivers. Give these jobs to women, they are confident drivers instead of these drunk illiterates. Why should a govt official plead with a driver to deliver fuel, who is the authority here?

    • Under normal circumstance Siliya should have canceled her trip and come back home and address problem head-on. But this is a government of jokers with no plan or vision. Ho can we have a fuel shortage during the festive season? That is PF for you

    • Government bans foreigners from transporting fuel in Zambia in order to create investment opportunities for locals… that was when? a month ago??? Zambia has potential… but the people are a hindrance!

  2. UUh Can this situation be classified as ” Fuel Crisis”? Lusaka has enough fuel stocks. Its the drivers who have refuse to transport the fuel. Come on, lets have the correct headline please

    • @miya…
      …that’s the appropriate heading…what heading were u expecting..??..transporters’ boycott has caused the fuel crisis…the bottom line is ‘fuel criss’

    • @Miya. A fuel crisis is when you have to drive half the city in search of fuel, only to find it at a filling station with a 1 km long queue and you have to line up for over 2 hours to fill up.

      A fuel crisis is when half the vehicles (including public minibuses) are parked because they can get fuel.

  3. Dora is out of the country and issuing statements from wherever she is about some driver bringing in of suspicious quality …Deputy minister negotiating, ERB arranging alternative haulage…no cohesion here just confusion its no wonder this sector in in shambles and there is too much wastage.

  4. Paul Chongo are you a Govt spokesperson? You seem to be bitter like a robber who has managed his deal for his boss but not yet paid for the work or a hungry dog that keeps barking to protect the master who is not even around. Take it easy you will die of heart attack.

  5. Why do we do things as if we are fo.ols in this country? Where are the institutions to handle this matter? There is fraud, there is murder, there is also blackmail going on from what I glean from this poorly written article. Instead of dwelling on the case we go on to quote – at unreasonable length I may add – a useless minister outside and away from where it is happening. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US??? Why can’t we do one thing right for once in our fcuking lies!!!???

    • Although it is also appropriate to call what is going on lies, I meant ‘fcuking LIVES’! For once only – just for once in our mediocre cesspools!!!

    • Do you really think Government CARES?

      Lungu and Co. are only interested in ONE THING —– Elections, so that they can keep on helping themselves to Taxpayers money.

      If you stup.I’d Zambians have to suffer load shedding, no water, no fuel, USELESS Kwacha, too bad. Sorry for you.

      THEY ARE NOT SUFFERING!

  6. Let’s die a little for sanity to prevail in our fuel delivery system, these drivers want to hold us at ransom and continue damaging our cars with changanya fuel. I am sure this will be resolved by tomoroow morning, let’s cut out the politics, it’s just some indisciplined drivers.

    By the way, I am still waiting for a picture of HH in the queue with a 5 liter kakunkubiti like late Sata. Is he also out of the country like Dora? Oh yes he said that he would to Cape Town for a mining indaba. But he has a running mate who can pose with a 5 litre tin, doesn’t he?

  7. THERE IS KORE GOING ON THAN WE ARE BEING TOLD! THIS CRISIS IS NOT ONLY BEING CAUSED BY DRIVERS REFUSING TO DRIVE. ITS ALSO NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT THE MINISTER IS OUT OF TOWN. THIS CRISIS WAS ALREADY LOOMING. IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE THE TRUTH WILL SURFACE. NO WAY NO HOW THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY DRIVERS REFUSING TO DRIVE!!! MUBEPELE FYE!!!!! BA PF KUWAYAWAYA FYE!

  8. Failing to govern ba PF. Oh it’s global drivers in the UK are holding London at ransom as well. How can the death of one driver paralyse a whole city. I don’t know whether I should cry or laugh. Zoona it’s Zambia the real Africa.

  9. bemba bimbo why say stupid zambians?i blame our useless immigration for making *****s like you hide here in the name of being zambian when you are a forioeigner.never insult we indigenous zambians inthe name of politics.tomba noko.itolele lya wiso.banoko amaso/namalepe

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading