President Hakainde Hichilema has warned that hoarding of fuel “amounts to sabotage” and will not be tolerated, urging oil marketing companies to ensure supplies reach filling stations as Zambia grapples with reduced global availability of petroleum products.
Speaking at State House after meeting oil marketing firms on Tuesday, Hichilema said some companies were deliberately withholding fuel in anticipation of price increases, creating artificial shortages.
“We cannot accept a situation where fuel is there, but someone is not making it available because they are hoping that tomorrow the price will go up. That is called sabotage,” he said.
The warning comes as Zambia faces declining stock cover – just 22 days’ worth of petrol and 60 days for diesel left, according to Energy Minister Makozo Chikote – amid disruptions in global supply chains linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The war has driven volatility in crude oil prices, raised freight and insurance costs and strained international markets.
Zambia, which relies entirely on imported petroleum products, has felt the ripple effects of these global pressures.
JN/APA