Africa-Press – Malawi. Malawi’s fuel crisis has entered another painful chapter — and motorists say enough is enough. Across the country, long queues of frustrated drivers snake through streets, turning fuel stations into scenes of anger, exhaustion, and desperation.
From Lilongwe to Blantyre, motorists are spending nights in their cars, hoping to secure a few litres of fuel to keep their businesses and families afloat. But as pumps run dry, frustration is boiling over — and the silence from the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) is making things worse.
At Best Oil Filling Station in Lilongwe, Blessings Mwale, a minibus driver, said the crisis has crippled his livelihood.
“I have been in this queue since Monday. I haven’t been able to do any business. I’m running out of money, and my family is suffering,” he said. “Whatever is happening, government must act now — we can’t live like this.”
While queues grow longer by the day, MERA seems more eager to debunk social media rumours than to address the real issue — when the country will actually have fuel. This week, the regulator swiftly dismissed a viral message claiming that fuel prices had been reduced, warning the public to “rely on official channels for information.”
But on the question that really matters — when will fuel return to the pumps? — MERA has offered no clear answers, only silence and vague statements.
Many Malawians are questioning the regulator’s priorities.
“MERA is quick to respond to propaganda but slow to explain the truth,” said one motorist at Total Area 18 in Lilongwe. “We don’t need press releases denying rumours. We need fuel.”
The shortage has choked the economy, paralyzed transport, and left countless small businesses stranded. Buses have cut routes, prices of goods are rising, and hospitals that depend on generators are on the brink of shutdown.
MERA’s earlier explanation — blaming violent post-election demonstrations in Tanzania, Malawi’s main fuel transit route — has done little to calm public anger.
Economists warn that unless clear communication and swift action are taken, the crisis could deepen further, eroding confidence in the government’s ability to manage essential supplies.
For now, Malawi’s fuel stations remain scenes of despair — lines of hope slowly fading into frustration — as the regulator charged with keeping the nation running appears missing in action.
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