Some local fuel haulers feel sidelined

Some local fuel transporters have complained that they are not engaged in the haulage of fuel from Dar es Salaam Port in Tanzania to Malawi.

Quoting a report which shows the number of trucks cleared at Songwe Border between January 22 and June 6 this year, Kaluwa Logistics Limited chief executive officer Smart Kaluwa said 90 trucks belonging to local fuel haulers were engaged.

“We have about 790 trucks and this means 700 are out of business. What it means is that we are exporting jobs and draining foreign exchange,” he said.

Kaluwa further referred to the figures which show that during the same period, about 990 foreign transporters were engaged to haul fuel. They add this is against the Buy Malawi Strategy which seeks to boost local businesses.

“Transport is a service that drains foreign exchange. Why should we use foreign trucks when some importers are using the same local transporters who have the capacity,” Kaluwa said.

As part of austerity measures announced on May 31, President Lazarus Chakwera directed all government ministries, departments and agencies to procure locally available goods and services to save foreign exchange.

The local fuel haulers have questioned some procurement decisions that are costly.