Growth in Great Lakes Economies Stretches Demand for Fuel

Three weeks ago, a major haulage firm was directed to a transnational’s outlet on Mombasa Road, Nairobi, after making frantic enquiries. On a good day, companies do not bother to ask around where they are to get diesel – as that can be everywhere. But things are quickly changing, for the worse.

“In the fortnight ending April 28, 2006, fuel shortages emerged throughout the Great Lakes region from Kenya through to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Southern Sudan,” UN agencies wrote. “It was reported that the stations in Juba were out of fuel. Certain UN agencies ran out of supplies, in part because of a management issue within these agencies.”

All Africa