Flavia Nakagwa
31 January 2008
Kampala — SOME oil dealers have been forced to ration fuel at their filling stations as stocks continue to dwindle following the escalating violence in Kenya, Uganda's main oil supplier.
The managing Director for Total Uganda, Christophe Jacquet, said they were short of petrol, but had enough diesel for customers across the country.
"Our stocks of petrol are running low and we may not get more replenishment soon due to the continued strike actions in Nakuru, Naivasha and all western Kenya areas," Jacquet said yesterday.
The Total sales representative for eastern region, Enos Asiimwe said: "Because petrol stocks have gone down, rationing of fuel at all our filling stations will be experienced as supplies come in."
The supervisor at the Lugogo By-pass Engen fuel outlet, Fred Butamanya, said the quantity supplied to them was lower than usual so the station had been forced to ration the fuel to customers.
"We can not sell more than sh70,000 worth of fuel, because we have been informed that the Kenya-Uganda border might be closed," he said.
However, Peter Kasozi, the Quality Marshal at Shell Lugogo By-pass said Shell stations had not yet started rationing fuel.
By mid morning yesterday, many motorists were rushing to filling stations across the city to fill up their tanks, in anticipation of the looming shortage occasioned by renewed clashes in Kenya.
A snap survey by The New Vision showed that stocks were still available at filling stations in Kibuye, Luzira, Lugogo By-pass, Kyambogo, Bweyogerere and Katwe.
Some filling stations like Total Nakawa and Shell Kireka had run out of petrol and were only selling diesel.
"Schools open next week and we need to have enough fuel to transport our children. We need to be prepared now because we don't know when the turmoil in Kenya will end," Deo Arinaitwe, a motorist, said.
"I have been forced to buy fuel from three stations in order to have my tank filled."
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