Government sets shs 5000 as a cap for escalating fuel prices
Government says the prices will soon normalize as the challenges at the borders are being addressed with urgency
Nabaasa Innocent 
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development on 14th January, it ensured that the government is well aware on the escalating fuel prices and the supply disruptions at Malaba and Busia boarder points and it’s doing everything possible to ensuringbuild up stock levels in the country.
In the due course of this week, Ugandans have witnessed abnormal increases in fuel prices which have sparked off debate even on social media of where we are heading as a country ahead of schools and full economy reopening in the country.
According to government, with the full opening of economic activities on 10th including schools, there has been an increase in uptake of Petroleum products which saw a spike in consumption in the country which affected the 10-day stock levels.
On 1st January 2022, the government of Uganda through its Health Ministry issued a directive requiring all truck drivers from Kenya to undergo covid19 testing at Malaba and Busia border entry points an issue that resulted into a buildup of trucks as none was entering the country.
Uganda is a net importer of petroleum products majorly through road transport, loading its products through terminals located in Eldoret, Kisumu, Nairobi and Mombasa according to government the failure to maintain replenishment of stocks affected the turnaround time hence the reduction of stocks for petroleum in the country.
In a liberalized downstream petroleum market, Uganda currently consumes 6.5million liters of petroleum products an issue that prompted the Health Ministry to commence free covid19 testing at the border entry points by the 12th of January and since then the pace of truck movement started improving.
Government also assured that petroleum supply and prices will return to normal and the public shouldn’t panic because the trucks in traffic between the Kenya loading points and Uganda’s borders will be no more once cleared in a few days.
The Ministry also advised speculators hoarding petroleum products leading to unnecessary hike in fuel prices to desist from this practice or else they will risk penalties.
‘The prices of Petrol in the country should not exceed UGX 5,000 per liter’’ the statement added promising that shortly an address on the scarcity in districts such as Hoima shall be made.
