Thursday, March 28, 2024

There is no looming shortage of fuel despite low stocks-Energy Minister

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Energy Minister Peter Kapala has said that the country’s fuel stocks are expected to normalize by next week and that Zambia is expecting a number of fuel tankers to arrive.

Mr. Kapala stressed that there is no looming shortage of fuel but admits that the current stocks are low.

Speaking in an interview with ZNBC, Mr. Kapala further urged the public not to panic or engage in overbuying of fuel.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kapala has urged the ERB to promote the utilization of renewable energy sources saying Zambia is endowed with renewable energy sources that have remained underdeveloped.

Mr. Kapala said ERB should create a regulatory framework that will attract investments to scale up diversification of the country’s energy mix as opposed to depending on hydropower.

He was speaking in Lusaka today at the Launch of the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) Service Charter aimed at empowering the public with information to hold ERB accountable to service delivery standards.

And ERB Acting Director-General Fred HAngandu said the service charter is a demonstration of the Boards commitment to accountability in the discharge of its mandate and will ensure effective service delivery.

19 COMMENTS

  1. “….Mr. Kapala said ERB should create a regulatory framework that will attract investments to scale up…..”

    Bwana minister, …………

    Don’t be lazy like the PF , who’s favorite words were ” should ” ” could” ” would ”

    Replace those words with ” must ” “will” and get to work…………

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  2. I had earlier commented at the time when the PF govt accumulated a huge debt of US$400m for procurement of fuel products and subsequent handing over the supply to the OMC removing duty etc that it was a time bomb. The energy sector like any other were driven into huge problems by PF and UPND will have to do a lot to normalize things. The UPND should not hide under fuel shortage looming but must be bold enough that given the current situation the govt through ERB will have no viable option but to increase the pump price.

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  3. First you create a shortage then you increase the price.Next is removal of subsidies in line with IMF.New dawn is working.

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  4. Zambians are disappointed by this in experienced government everything is now upside-down ,we expected something more skillful as we were promised on those campaigns now what we are seeing is only complaining on the shoulders of the hounded out government this is mad , give us a break or resign we don’t want to hear the same old song , stop complaining you are in charge it is stinking go to work and do what you promised .

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  5. Don’t mess with IMF….soon Zambia will be going 2 weeks straight without electricity…..and fuel will become very expensive…food will become extremely expensive…Malawian President just admitted that things won’t get any better in Malawi. …after promising them heaven on earth…..**ZAMBIA IS NEXT**

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  6. No need to employ 30000 teachers this year
    And 11000 health workers.First let’s sort out
    Load shedding ,fuel shortage looming ,unza
    Protest .No need to increase CDF this year.
    Let’s sort all PF Failed problems first.

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  7. LETS NOT F00LL OURSELVES
    WORLD OIL PRICES HAVE SHOT UP SO AN INCREASE IS INEVITABLE
    NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RULING PARTY
    AS FOR ZESCO P-F TOOK THE KITTY SO MAINTENANCE WAS LACKING
    YES WE IN TROUBLE BUT CAN ONLY BLAME OURSELVES FOR KEEPING PF IN POWER TOO LONG

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  8. Stop blaming PF upndogs. You campaigned to fix the economy. Show us the solution instead of blaming pf for your imminent failure.

    Genuine leaders work, fake leaders complain. How long are you going to complain about PF. You thought state is a farm.

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  9. PF Will be blamed for decades to come afterall the drove the economy into the ground
    the ruling party took over a mess now they getting the blame for not sorting it out in only a few months
    REALLY ??

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  10. When we started to agitate for the reintroduction of plural politics and formed the Movement for Multiparty Democracy KK vowed not to allow BaMatipa (MMD) to force the repeal of Article(?) because that would cause chaos in the country and all UNIP FOLLOWERS CHEERED ON MATIPA ALALA. Under pressure KK gave up and again the UNIP followers cheered on MATIPA ALALA. I see that trend here again. During campaigns all Upnd cheered on when the leadership promised cheaper fuel… today the leadership is showing signs of intent to increase the price of the commodity, the Upnd members are all out in support with all sorts of justifications and blaming.

  11. We where promised cheaper fuel K 5 per litre, was some one mad to do such a thing why did he choose to shade off his integrity and go on rampage promising lies to the electorate.
    This is a strange government we don’t know what will happen next.

  12. @ tikki please be honourable and don’t assume people don’t think. UPND did not say they will give cheaper fuel when global oil prices are low because anyone can do that. HH said these people don’t know how to come up with price models that will keep fuel prices cheaper regardless of world oil prices. And that’s what we want to see. We want to learn how to sell products cheaply even when your source is expensive. UPND supporters dismissed the excuse of world oil prices from PF and its noble to keep that sentiments otherwise we will see you as people who lack integrity. The only option is to come out and admit that we didn’t know that what our friends were struggling to do was a challenging task please sorry and give us time to find the solution.

  13. #17 Dominion In fact even if the globe oil prices come down it’s not automatic that all countries will reduce their pump prices. Each country has it’s own problems and these are factors to either reduce or increase its prices. People just support without questioning the logic of such public pronouncements.

  14. When I asked my friend a Upnd district treasurer how his party would improve the Kwacha hours after inauguration, he simply told me that HH had connections with the USA and other Western countries so as soon as he wins the election, they will give us more dollars that by the time we are sworn in the Kwacha will increase in value by three times.

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