Home Southern Africa Malawi Struggles with Severe Fuel Shortages, Protests Erupt Nationwide

Malawi Struggles with Severe Fuel Shortages, Protests Erupt Nationwide

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Malawi Struggles with Severe Fuel Shortages, Protests Erupt Nationwide

(3 Minutes Read)

 Police in Lilongwe, capital of Malawi on Monday used tear gas shells to disperse protesters demanding the resignation of the energy minister amid a fuel shortage in various regions that has hit Malawi hard for a month. The protesters’ demands include the resignation of the energy and mining minister and the head of the country’s energy regulatory agency.

Police in Lilongwe, capital of Malawi on Monday used tear gas shells to disperse protesters demanding the resignation of the energy minister amid a fuel shortage in various regions that has hit Malawi hard for a month. Protesters took to the streets early in the morning, chanting anti-government slogans and waving placards to express their anger over the fuel shortage.

For nearly a month, the country has been experiencing a critical fuel shortage, which has crippled essential services such as public transportation and hospitals, where power generation is dependent on fuel, exacerbating people’s frustrations. The government, on the other hand, has attributed the “fuel crisis” to low supply levels, which have been exacerbated recently by the country’s nearly four-year foreign exchange (forex) shortage. Malawi, a landlocked country, gets its fuel supplies from Gulf countries via Tanzania.

The Centre for Democracy and Economic Initiatives (CDEDI) had given the protest call, which was fully supported by the powerful umbrella body for religious organizations, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC), as well as opposition political parties, the United Transformation Movement (UTM) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

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Protesters’ main demand was that Energy and Mining Minister Ibrahim Matola and Chief Executive of Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Henry Kachaje resign for failing to address the situation. CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa denounced police action as “barbaric and brutal,” vowing to continue the protest until their demands are met.