Kampala — Uganda has stocked fuel supplies enough to last for five days or more, the energy state minister, Simon D'Ujanga, has said.

In spite of the minister's assurance yesterday, fuel, especially petrol, remained scarce countrywide. In Gulu, security agents temporarily blocked a filling station, Delta Petroleum, from selling a litre of petrol at sh6,000.

At about 9:00am, motorists converged at the filling station on learning that a truck had arrived with 11,000 litres of fuel.

However, they were disappointed that the price of petrol had increased from sh2,490, prompting the deputy resident district commissioner (RDC), Milton Odong, to order the Police to stop Delta from overcharging motorists.

But the RDC, Col. Walter Ochora, cleared Delta to sell fuel at sh6,000.

"This is a free economy. There is no way the Government is going to fix prices for people in private enterprise."

The bus fares to Kampala from Gulu had risen from sh18,000 to over sh30,000.

In Jinja, a taxi driver, Yusuf Wabushebu, had not worked for a week due to the high prices of fuel. IGA refilling station on the Jinja-Kampala highway and Gapco on Iganga Road were selling a litre of petrol at 5,000 and diesel at sh2800. At Caltex Dunlop on Eng. Zhikusoka Way petrol was at 4,000 while diesel was at sh2,500.

D'Ujanga was concerned that filling stations had no fuel. "I do not know why the stations are dry. It may be a problem of distribution".

Only a few hours after Shell and Kobil announced a major boost in the supply, several petrol pumps around Kampala remained dry yesterday.

According to The New Vision mid-morning survey, Jinja Road, Lugogo, Naguru and Bugolobi Shell stations were all out of petrol.

Bweyogerere, Kamwokya and Namirembe Road Kobil filling station had only diesel. Wampewo, Nakawa, and Banda Caltex petrol pumps were dry too. Total Uganda director general Christophe Jacquet said none of the 29 outlets Total runs in the city had any petrol.

Small dealers in Kisenyi still had their stocks which they were now selling at a lower price than on Monday (sh5,000 per litre).

Delta on Kafumbe Mukasa Road was selling petrol at sh3,000, against the Shell price of sh2,500. At other stations, the prices were not displayed but they had petrol, whereas in others, the pump price was different from the sale price.

In contrast, the bigger players in the market had the price firmly fixed but no supply.

"All Shell outlets prominently display prices not only on the main board but also on each pump. Customers are advised to check that the price on the pump is the same as that on the board," a public notice published in the media stated. Halima Besisira, the Shell spokesperson, said customers rushed for the fuel.

"Those who have usually been buying petrol of sh10,000, this time they rushed for full tanks".

Jacquet assured the public that the situation was getting under control. He said Total had so far received 60,000 litres of petrol and 30,000 litres of diesel, which it would distribute.

In Mbarara town, only three petrol stations - Shell Ankole, Shell Mbarara and Shell Malindi had petrol and a litre went at sh2,520.