BUSIA, UGANDA: Uganda’s tax collection body – Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has cleared over 400 fuel tankers at the Malaba border point giving a ray of hope for motorists that the skyrocketing fuel prices could soon go down.
Fuel prices in the country have in the past few days hit a record high with a liter of petrol going for shs 12,000 in Hoima Oil city and other upcountry districts.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development in a January 16th, 2022 letter, attributed the increasing fuel prices to stock out of petrol at some outlets caused by truck delays at the border.
Ibrahim Bbossa, URA’s Assistant Commissioner Public and Corporate Affairs says over 370 trucks both fuel and cargo were by Sunday afternoon cleared.
Bbosa expressed the commitment that the authority will soon clear the backlog of consignments at the border.
The truck drivers had gone on strike after the government of Uganda directed for mandatory covid19 tests at USD30.
The strike has since been called off after a council of ministers of the East African Community agreed to 7 days of cost free covid19 tests at both the Busia and Malaba border points.
Between October and November last year, the pump price for petrol skyrocketed from sh3,900 to sh4,600 while diesel increased from sh3,500 to 4,200. The situation compelled members of parliament to task the government to explain to the public the reason behind the skyrocketing fuel prices across the country.
Construction of the East African Crude Oil pipeline (EACOP) project that is 1,400km will start from Hoima in Uganda to Tanga Port in Tanzania
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