Shun fuel stations
The Prime Minister of Uganda Hon Robinah Nabbanja has asked the public to shun all fuel stations across the country that are still selling fuel above Shs 5000.
Nabbanja, says Uganda is no-longer faced with a fuel crisis since a cabinet decision to retract mandatory testing for Covid 19 on all truck drivers entering the country.
In a letter dated 15 January, authored by the Ministry of Health, the mandatory testing was suspended to decongest the Malaba and Busia points following a strike by truck drivers over testing fees. The Director Health Services at the MOH Henry Mwebesa explained in the letter that the temporary measure would take effect immediately until a more permanent decision was reached by members of the East African Communities(EAC).
The Government is now using temperature guns to find suspected positive cases as they clear supplies, especially fuel, to solve shortages in the country.
The Prime minister made the statement via a video tweet posted to her verified account on Wednesday, calling on the public to opt for other fuel stations charging at most 5000 shillings.
She explains in a short video ; “I want to advise Ugandans to go to petrol stations that have not hiked the prices. Two companies have not hiked prices, go buy from those ones, these others will also follow because it is now not necessary for any company to hike the price above shs 5000,”
Shun fuel stations
By Wednesday evening, several fuel stations across the country were still selling a liter of fuel above 5000 shillings. The crisis has also triggered a high cost of living with food prices and transport fares going up.
Last week, Minister for Energy, Ruth Nankabirwa, also warned fuel dealers against hiking prices.
While inspecting the Namekara Mining Company Limited in Manafwa District at the weekend, Nankabirwa said the crisis would soon be sorted.
“This particular hiking now has no bearing on the international price. This is management and administration issues at the border where we had URA (Uganda Revenue Authority) having a challenge of a scanner so they had to bring a mobile scanner from Elegu to Busia to reduce congestion that was there,” she said.
