Lynn Musitwa
21:44

Fuel, Fuel Everywhere, but Not a Drop for Some Motorists

12 Jan 2008, 09:26 1857 Views Kampala, Uganda News Report
Fuel prices have remained unstable at some petrol stations in the country despite government assurances that the fuel crisis would be averted by the recent supplies. A total of 36 out of 155 trucks that were stuck in Kenya following the post election violence arrived in the country on Thursday last week. But some motorists are still trying to get a drop of the supplies that came in last week. In the past two weeks, fuel scarcity has again swept over much of country with drivers queuing for hours outside filling stations only to get a few liters, or simply being turned away by the dry nozzles. Despite the fuel supplies that came in last week, several fuel stations maintained the higher prices, prompting uncertainty among motorists. At Mogas petrol station in Lubowa, Fuelex in Lweza, and Hared in Kajansi, a liter of fuel was at 3,000 shillings. Wycliffe Ssekandi, the Mogas fuel station manager, explains that the prices have remained high to compensate the costs incurred paying security personnel who guard their trucks on their way from Kenya. // Cue in: ifor the last ten days# Cue out: ... sell our producti// The situation was not different either at Total Kajansi. Ismail Sempungu, the station manager says he has been forced to hang loose the fuel pumps and resorted to selling other products like lubricants, gas and tyres. // Cue in: i we have taken some days# Cue out: #.still running businessi// In Kampala, most petrol stations like Shell, Caltex and Petrol Uganda are selling petro at two 2,500 shillings per liter. Livingstone Kibirige, the Caltex Kampala road manager, says that his customers are paying in advance for fuel. He has been forced to open a register so than first priority is given to customers in the register.

 

Tagged with: fuel crisis

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Lynn Musitwa