[LUSAKA, ZAMBIA] The Zambian government has declared the current fuel supply situation an emergency, attributing the crisis to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Despite its distance from the front lines, Zambia is experiencing disruptions in fuel supply, primarily due to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Fredrick Nabuzoka, a local resident, highlighted the inconvenience, saying, “You have to spend some time on looking for fuel. The war should come to an end, and then fuel supply will flow.”Fridah Mbiza, another local resident, reported the impact on her business, noting, “My business is down.
I cannot move regularly like I used to because of the fuel problem.”Johnstone Chikwanda, a Zambian energy expert, commented on the wider implications, stating that the fuel crisis affects around 75 percent of African countries. He added, “The energy insecurity is huge.
It’s not just for Zambia, it’s about 75 percent of other African countries. And for Zambia, the price definitely is also going to swing up, just like other countries. And also, there is another fear, apart from just the price going up.
The other fear is the availability factor.”In response to the crisis, the Zambian cabinet has implemented measures to alleviate the situation. In late March, the government approved the zero-rating of value-added tax and the suspension of excise duty on petrol and diesel imports for three months.
These measures aim to provide some relief to the nation’s fuel supply and ease the financial burden on consumers.
Source: Africanews
