Vendors brazenly display the fuel along streets
* But once verified and lead to the interception or recovery of fuel involved in illegal fuel trading or unauthorized fuel storage
By Frank Humphreys, Malawi News Agency (MANA)
Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has launched a major public appeal in the fight against fuel malpractice, announcing a new reward system that will pay citizens up to K1.5 million for reporting illegal off-pump fuel trading.
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In a press statement by MERA Chief Executive Officer Dad Chinthambi, the initiative seeks to empower the public to act as watchdogs to protect the fuel market and ensure fair distribution.
While MERA acknowledged that illegal fuel activities take many forms including fuel adulteration, pump manipulation, and unauthorised rationing, the regulator noted that off-pump activities have emerged as a severe obstacle to fuel access.
“This new system aims to improve the detection of these illicit activities, deter potential offenders and ultimately strengthen consumer protection while we remain committed to dealing with all forms of malpractice, targeting off-pump illegalities is critical to restoring fairness to the market,” he said.
Meanwhile, under the new guidelines, members of the public can receive substantial financial incentives for verified reports that would lead to the interception or recovery of fuel involved in illegal fuel trading.
It was includes whistleblowing for unauthorised fuel storage to be rewarded with up to K1.5 million, depending on the volume of fuel recovered.
Chinthambi emphasised that whistleblowers will be protected: “To qualify for a reward, reporters must provide their name and phone number, but I want to assure the public that MERA will treat the identity of every reporter in strict confidence.”
MERA thus is encouraging informants to provide as much evidence as possible, including photos, video clips, audio recordings, the specific location and any vehicle registration numbers involved.
The anonymous tip-off numbers to contact are Toll-free line 4259 (Airtel); phone or WhatsApp 0987 009 711; email mera@mera.mw or to visit MERA office or the nearest police station.
Maravi Express can verify that unscrupulous people are deliberately creating fuel scarcity and this was also worsened by lapse on regulations by MERA itself.
Scores of vendors with multiple jerrycans block motorists and threaten pump attendants to be served first while others push dead engine cars to the pumps and fill them up full tank before pushing them away.
They then drain the fuel in jerrycans and drum close by before returning with the dead engine cars to fill up again.
Some motorcycle taxi (kabaza) operators are also culprits, who fill up full tank to also drain out and return to the service stations to refill.
The vendors brazenly display the fuel alongside roads, which is very dangerous in this summer heat as the containers can heat up in that any violent shake of the contents — or a discarded cigarette butt — can cause them to explode.
The absence of police at the filling stations is also causing traffic jams since the long queues to the pumps are double parked on both lanes.
Sometimes the police presence is never respected since some known hoodlums threaten the law enforcement from taking action and are sometimes suspected of being in complicity with the illegal goings-on.—Edited by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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