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Herald Reporter
Malawi turned to its defence forces to resolve crippling fuel shortages after fuel tanker drivers went on strike demanding a pay rise in line with a minimum wage and amendments to Covid-19 regulations that require testing for travel.
This comes as the British government has put the army on standby to help with the country’s fuel crisis caused by a shortage of tanker drivers resulting in panic-buying, leaving many of the petrol pumps dry.
The Malawi Defence Force (MDF) announced that from Friday last week, it would engage its personnel in the distribution of fuel in the country.
The strike by fuel tanker drivers has resulted in the shortage of fuel in gas stations, especially in major cities and towns.
In a statement, MDF acting public information officer Major Emmanuel Kelvin Mlelemba said armed military escort will be provided to fuel tankers from the country’s borders to the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) depots, and distribution from the depots to commercial gas stations will be done by military drivers.
The MDF appealed with citizens not to interfere with the operation “as it is in line with one of its constitutional roles of providing technical expertise and resources to assist the civilian authorities in the maintenance of essential services in times of emergency in the country”.
“The Malawi Defence Force will carry on with the exercise until the situation normalises,” said the MDF.
The drivers called off the strike on Friday after government and labour union interventions.
Zimbabwe has been previously criticised for deploying the army to assist in bringing order.
Presently, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces are helping in the vaccination programme while in the past they helped after Cyclone Idai hit Manicaland and parts of Masvingo.
Online Reporter
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