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Fuel shortage hits Zambian capital

Xinhua, March 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

A fuel shortage has persisted in Zambian capital Lusaka, with long queues seen in various filing situations, a snap survey conducted on Tuesday has shown.

Most filling stations in the city have completely run out of fuel.

Motorists in the city have since demanded for an explanation from the government on the shortage of fuel.

"I have been moving around from filling station to filling station looking for fuel, and this is the fifth place where I have found fuel," a taxi driver only identified as Dave said.

The fuel shortage has also spread to the country's tourist capital, Livingstone, in the south of the country, according to local media.

The government has since engaged local transporters to bring finished oil products to cushion the shortage.

Sources in the Ministry of Energy and Water Development told local media that the government has failed to secure a letter of credit for crude oil importation, after the signing of a new supply contract with Independent Petroleum Group of Kuwait following the termination of the earlier contract with Gunvor of Switzerland.

The cancelation of the contract with Gunvor follows the delivery of contaminated crude oil on two occasions. Endit