Fuel Prices Up
Feb 21, 2003
KAMPALA motorists woke up yesterday morning only to find a fresh fuel price increase, the third in less than two months,
KAMPALA motorists woke up yesterday morning only to find a fresh fuel price increase, the third in less than two months, reports Yunusu Abbey and James Odomel.
But fares across the country remained unchanged by press time. Petrol and diesel have each gone up by sh70 and kerosene by sh50 per litre.
The price increase, the third since January 6, saw petrol going up from sh1,630 to sh1,700 per litre while diesel, which has been at sh1,380, now costs sh1,450 per litre.
Kerosene rose from sh1,230 to sh1,280 per litre.
By yesterday, all fuel filling stations in Kampala had adjusted the pump prices. These included Shell, Petro Uganda, Total, Gapco, Kobil, Caltex and Jovenna.
Syda Bbumba, energy and mineral development minister, said yesterday, “The problem is beyond the Government control. The fuel price increase is a global problem which we cannot avoid.
“I can only appeal to motorists to avoid being extravagant. They should try to use fuel sparingly,†she said.
Bbumba said, “But there are mainly three to four factors which have necessitated this problem. The world market oil prices which have gone up by 50% since November last year and the war speculation are inevitably the main reasons,†she said.
“Secondly, the winter season (in Europe and North America) is so bad this time and saw a very high fuel consumption rate. It might go down as they approach spring.â€
“Thirdly, the on-going strike in Venezuela, which is one of the major oil producing countries in the world, has greatly affected the prices.â€
Mr. Ivan Kyayonka, the country chairman, Shell Uganda, said yesterday, “The price increase was due to the usual factors.
“The factors include the prevailing oil prices on the world market which now fluctuate between $33 and $34 per barrel of crude oil,†he said.
Meanwhile, the 10-million litre petrol tank at the national oil reserve in Jinja, which has been renovated, is not stocked.
The Uganda Taxi Operators and Driver’s Association (UTODA) general Secretary Charles Kamya said the drivers were awaiting instructions from their headquarters.
Ends
But fares across the country remained unchanged by press time. Petrol and diesel have each gone up by sh70 and kerosene by sh50 per litre.
The price increase, the third since January 6, saw petrol going up from sh1,630 to sh1,700 per litre while diesel, which has been at sh1,380, now costs sh1,450 per litre.
Kerosene rose from sh1,230 to sh1,280 per litre.
By yesterday, all fuel filling stations in Kampala had adjusted the pump prices. These included Shell, Petro Uganda, Total, Gapco, Kobil, Caltex and Jovenna.
Syda Bbumba, energy and mineral development minister, said yesterday, “The problem is beyond the Government control. The fuel price increase is a global problem which we cannot avoid.
“I can only appeal to motorists to avoid being extravagant. They should try to use fuel sparingly,†she said.
Bbumba said, “But there are mainly three to four factors which have necessitated this problem. The world market oil prices which have gone up by 50% since November last year and the war speculation are inevitably the main reasons,†she said.
“Secondly, the winter season (in Europe and North America) is so bad this time and saw a very high fuel consumption rate. It might go down as they approach spring.â€
“Thirdly, the on-going strike in Venezuela, which is one of the major oil producing countries in the world, has greatly affected the prices.â€
Mr. Ivan Kyayonka, the country chairman, Shell Uganda, said yesterday, “The price increase was due to the usual factors.
“The factors include the prevailing oil prices on the world market which now fluctuate between $33 and $34 per barrel of crude oil,†he said.
Meanwhile, the 10-million litre petrol tank at the national oil reserve in Jinja, which has been renovated, is not stocked.
The Uganda Taxi Operators and Driver’s Association (UTODA) general Secretary Charles Kamya said the drivers were awaiting instructions from their headquarters.
Ends