Burundi: Petrol shortage due to disruption in supply

The capital Bujumbura has facing shortage of fuel since the past three days. Vehicle users fear intentions of a further rise in its price.

Vehicles in the queue at Kigobe City Oil” station

At around 10 a. m. this 5 April, vehicles were lining up in long queues on some gas stations which are still providing petrol in the capital Bujumbura. At “Kigobe City oil” station in Ntahangwa Commune, vehicle users have said they don’t know the reasons behind the petrol shortage.

According to a driver from Ngozi Northern Province, the situation is similar in that province. “Only one gas station is distributing petrol. One can spend hours or even days waiting for petrol”, says desperately, a bus driver, who has just spent two days looking for petrol in the capital Bujumbura.

Another driver met at “Interpetrol oil station” in Bujumbura downtown, says the shortage of petrol could not allow him to work the entire day. “It is not possible to work for over a half of a day,” he says adding that the few gas stations that supply it have significantly reduced the number of liters to be given.

A civil servant who has lined up at “Kigobe City Oil” has spoken about a loss at work. “We spend a lot of time waiting for petrol which we don’t know when is it is provided whereas we should be doing our job”, he says.

Users of vehicles for transport speak about a problem of payment. “We spend most of the day on these queues. We are unable to meet daily payments,” says a taxi-driver met at Kinindo City Oil of Muha Commune in the south of the capital Bujumbura. He says he fears the increase in the price of fuel. “We are fed up with this situation. It always starts like this,” he says.

Other oil stations like Top7, Kobil in Kamenge or Mogas Kinindo… only provided oil.

Vehicle users urge the government of Burundi to do whatever it takes to end the petrol shortage.

Nolasque Ndayihaye, Managing Director of Energy in the Ministry of Mines and Energy, says the petrol shortage is due to a problem of transport. “Nothing to fear. It’s a simple disruption in supply. The situation will soon return to normal in two days,” he says.

Mr Ndayihaye says trucks carrying petrol from Dar-es-salaam to Bujumbura have not been loaded since Thursday 29 March but added the loading resumed 3 days ago.

The recent petrol shortage occurred in January 2018. Burundi government decided to raise the prices of oil and as a consequence, transportation fees increased throughout the country.