Motorists jam fuel stations
Dec 23, 2008
MOTORISTS in Kampala yesterday morning rushed to filling stations after media reports that the fuel shortage was to last over the Christmas season.
By Anthony Bugembe
MOTORISTS in Kampala yesterday morning rushed to filling stations after media reports that the fuel shortage was to last over the Christmas season.
“I will be returning to Kampala on January 3. By then, I do not know what the fuel situation in the country will be like,†said a driver at the Caltex filling station opposite Uganda House.
When The New Vision visited the station, several cars were queuing to fuel. Most motorists, who said they were travelling upcountry, filled their tanks. A litre of petrol cost sh2,820, while diesel cost sh2,450.
There was also a queue of vehicles at the Shell filling station near the Shoprite shopping centre.
At most filling stations, business went on as usual, only that this time, most of the motorists watched the pumps keenly to ensure that they were not
cheated.
The pump prices also remained stable. They ranged from sh2,800 to sh3,000 for petrol and between sh2,400 to sh2,500 for diesel.
At Shell Jinja Road, there was no pump attendant or cars fuelling. The chairman, Ivan Kyayonka, however, refuted reports that the station was closed.
At filling stations on Ben Kiwanuka Street, it was business-as-usual for the taxi drivers and motorcyclists.
Uganda uses over 1.2 million litres of diesel, 543,000 of petrol and 300,000 of jet fuel daily. The current fuel shortage is attributed to problems with the Kenyan oil pipeline which is under repair.
The introduction of the three-axle weight limit for trucks in Kenya from October 2008, also implies that fuel tankers now carry about 35,000 litres per trip instead of the previous 42,000 litres.
Energy minister Daudi Migereko advised motorists to use the available fuel sparingly as the Government continues negotiating with authorities in Kenya to have fuel depots open for longer hours so that the fuel can be transported 24 hours a day.
MOTORISTS in Kampala yesterday morning rushed to filling stations after media reports that the fuel shortage was to last over the Christmas season.
“I will be returning to Kampala on January 3. By then, I do not know what the fuel situation in the country will be like,†said a driver at the Caltex filling station opposite Uganda House.
When The New Vision visited the station, several cars were queuing to fuel. Most motorists, who said they were travelling upcountry, filled their tanks. A litre of petrol cost sh2,820, while diesel cost sh2,450.
There was also a queue of vehicles at the Shell filling station near the Shoprite shopping centre.
At most filling stations, business went on as usual, only that this time, most of the motorists watched the pumps keenly to ensure that they were not
cheated.
The pump prices also remained stable. They ranged from sh2,800 to sh3,000 for petrol and between sh2,400 to sh2,500 for diesel.
At Shell Jinja Road, there was no pump attendant or cars fuelling. The chairman, Ivan Kyayonka, however, refuted reports that the station was closed.
At filling stations on Ben Kiwanuka Street, it was business-as-usual for the taxi drivers and motorcyclists.
Uganda uses over 1.2 million litres of diesel, 543,000 of petrol and 300,000 of jet fuel daily. The current fuel shortage is attributed to problems with the Kenyan oil pipeline which is under repair.
The introduction of the three-axle weight limit for trucks in Kenya from October 2008, also implies that fuel tankers now carry about 35,000 litres per trip instead of the previous 42,000 litres.
Energy minister Daudi Migereko advised motorists to use the available fuel sparingly as the Government continues negotiating with authorities in Kenya to have fuel depots open for longer hours so that the fuel can be transported 24 hours a day.