Erratic supply of fuel is as a result of challenges faced by Petroleum transporters during the rainy season at the ports- Oil Marketing Companies Association president Kafula Mubanga

BY GIDEON NYENDWA
The current erratic supply fuel that is being experienced in the country is as a result Of the challenges faced by Petroleum transporters during the rainy season at the ports, Oil Marketing Companies (OMC’s) Association president Kafula Mubanga has said.
Dr Mubanga said that when it is raining transporters do not load the same way as usual which affected the rate at which fuel is supplied.
He said that the other factor that had contributed to the erratic supply was that OMC’s multinationals had close for industrial break and could only resume normal operations after the festive season had passed.
Dr Mubanga also said that some transporters were advocating for an increase in terms of transport costs that has reduced a little bit of uplift by some transporters so far.
“It is one of the factors that has contributed to the erratic supply,” he said.
He said that there might be some holding of fuel by some OMC’s that might have contributed to the fuel shortages.
It was reported that some OMC’s were not happy with the recently announced adjusted fuel pump prices instead of opting for slightly higher prices than those settled for by the government through the Energy Regulations Board(ERB).
The price of petrol was recently hiked from K17.62 to K21.16 while that of diesel was adjusted upward from K15.59 to K20.15, prices the OMC’s do not agree with because they felt that the government should have increased the prices of fuel a little bit higher.
Dr. Mubanga said that there might have been some withholding of fuel by some OMC’s in an effort to push for the upward increment of fuel.