Energy minister, Joram Gumbo has revealed that President
Emmerson Mnangagwa recently authorised the release of 20 million litres of fuel
from government’s strategic reserves.
But Gumbo said the fuel released during last month’s Easter
Holidays and Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), has now been exhausted
hence the current shortages, which has seen the re-emergence of long queues.
“I did explain that there was a huge improvement during the
ZITF and Easter because I requested his Excellency (Mnangagwa) to allow me to
release what we call ‘strategic fuel’ which is kept by the government and that
is what I asked his Excellency. He allowed me and I released that into the
market hoping that this would assist (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John)
Mangudya,” Gumbo said.
“Industry must provide the forex so that they (Reserve Bank
of Zimbabwe) can dish it out (to import fuel). I had released 20 million litres
of fuel last time, 12 million litres of diesel and eight million litres of
petrol, into the market from the strategic reserves of government. So you talk
to Mangudya about the matter.”
He said enough fuel was already at the bonded warehouse in
Mabvuku but in the absence of adequate foreign currency, the product will not
be released on the market.
“Regarding payment of that fuel, it requires the Ministry
of Finance and the Reserve Bank. It has nothing to do with me, so they are the
people to talk to,” Gumbo said.
He also dismissed, as a social media hoax, reports that
some companies were blending fuel at levels higher than the stipulated 10%.
“Blending is done by NOIC (National Oil Infrastructure
Company) and when they do that they tell you how much blending they are doing.
I don’t go for social media stories which mislead a lot of people,” Gumbo said.
Gumbo told Parliament that from today the country will
begin to witness an improvement in the supply of fuel as fuel companies had
been availed with foreign currency to purchase the scarce commodity.
“Government policy is that there should be enough fuel in
the country, and our role as the Energy ministry is that we look for oil
outside the country, but when it comes it is bonded and foreign currency is
needed for oil companies to purchase it and my ministry is not involved in
that,” Gumbo said.
“Today, I spoke to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor
John Mangudya and he said that lines of credit had matured and big companies
like Zuva, Engen, Sakunda and Puma have started receiving deliveries and from
today, tomorrow and the following days there will be oil.”
The Energy minister said the oil stocks in the country can
last for a full month, adding that there were two million litres of fuel in
bonded houses and 23 days’ supply of diesel.
“We have ships in Beira that are pumping oil. So, the
problem is not availability of oil — the issue is about forex to ensure that
oil companies buy the oil,” he said.
Kadoma Central MP Muchineripi Chinyanganya (MDC) then asked
Gumbo to explain government policy on blending fuel.
“We increase fuel by adulterating the original fuel with
ethanol to make it more,” Gumbo said.
But Chinyanganya insisted blending meant that government
had indirectly increased the price of fuel because if it further increased
blending with ethanol by 5% or 10% then
it affected its strength and motorists end up travelling
lesser distances with blended fuel than pure fuel.
“That assertion is not true. The issue is that we do the
adulteration of fuel using renewable energy in order to enhance it,” Gumbo replied.
Newsday
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