Africa-Press. The capital of the Republic of the Congo, Brazzaville, has been experiencing a severe fuel crisis since the end of last week, leading to long queues at gas stations and causing widespread disruptions in transportation within the city, which is home to around two million residents.
The shortage has directly affected drivers and public transport users, as the government attributed the crisis to the repercussions of the current situation in the Middle East and the depletion of national and international fuel stocks.
In the vicinity of the Masala roundabout, located in the central-western part of Brazzaville, dozens of cars lined up at one of the gas stations, creating traffic jams on the main road. Drivers are spending long hours waiting in hopes of obtaining fuel, amidst feelings of anger and frustration.
Jerome, a taxi driver and father of five, stated that the crisis has made daily life more difficult, explaining that he has been unable to get fuel for four days. He added that he leaves his home at four in the morning every day to stand in line since five o’clock, without being able to refuel so far, noting the absence of any communication or clarifications regarding when distribution will resume normally.
The repercussions of the crisis have extended to the public transport sector, where some taxi drivers have resorted to doubling their fares due to the fuel scarcity. One public transport user, who requested anonymity, mentioned that any fuel crisis in the Congo always leads to disruptions in mobility and rising prices, adding that citizens have no choice but to adapt to the current situation.
In an official statement, the Congolese government clarified that the current crisis is due to a decline in local and global fuel stocks, which has been exacerbated by ongoing tensions and situations in the Middle East, assuring that it is working to address the situation and gradually restore supplies.
