Post-Mutharika Malawi Receives New Pledges of Fuel Assistance
Ties between politics and fuel imports in the Southern African state of Malawi continue to determine the consumption of the commodity. Days after the death of Malawi´s Bingu wa Mutharika and the swearing in of new president, Joyce Banda, new pledges have been offered to the nation that has seen an erratic supply since 2010. The shortage of fuel affected the commercial sector and long queues of vehicles waiting at the pumps for hours on end became a common sight.
Late wa Mutharika´s administration had been working to sort this challenge with little success. But shortly after the demise of wa Mutharika on April 5 Zambia and South Africa have stepped in with pledges.
Zambia was first with a fuel pledge, an offer of one million litres of petrol and two million litres of diesel to ease funeral arrangements and mobility for which the Malawi government can pay at a later date.
South Africa has followed up with its own pledge. South African minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane who issued a statement in Lilongwe on Friday 13 April said:
President Banda will be making the appropriate announcement on the details of our assistance to Malawi on the challenges you are facing, particularly fuel. But I came to condole you and at the same time thank all Malawians for peaceful transition as you have followed the dictates of your Constitution.”
eufrika.org: New President in Malawi – Joyce Banda sworn in