No End in Sight for Malawi Fuel Crisis

Drivers in Malawi are spending all night in long lines at fuel stations in hopes of filling their gas tanks as the country struggles with a weekslong fuel shortage, writes Lameck Masina for Voice of America.

During a press conference over the weekend, government authorities failed to give clear answers to when the problem would end. Henry Kachaje, executive director for the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority, said he hopes the situation will start to normalize from mid-November if efforts to source foreign exchange are achieved. These include the U.S.$60 million the government said has been sourced to buy fuel.

"We also have some assurance that negotiations that have been ongoing with one international financier, are almost complete and one that comes on board, the National Oil Company, which is responsible for managing strategic oil reserves, will have adequate resources to help restock the strategic reserves," Kachaje said.

In the meantime, those in need of the commodity the most have been buying fuel from the black market, where prices are more than double the pump price.