Malawi energy regulator warns unlicensed liquid fuels, gas transporters

Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has expressed concerned that a number of unlicensed transporters are still carrying on the business of transporting liquid fuels and gas recent into and within the country.

Black fuel market
Black fuel market

The only duly licensed transporters to transport liquid fuels and gas into and within Malawi, according to MERA Acting Chief Executive Officer Ellias Hausi, are Petroda Malawi Limited, Zagaf Transport, Mulli Brothers, Njechere Transport and Eagle Trucking.

Hausi says it is a requirement under the Energy Regulation Act and the Liquid Fuels and Gas Act for any person who engages in the business of transporting liquid fuels and gas to obtain a license from the Authority.

“Any person who carries on the business of transporting liquid fuels and gas without a license from MERA commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine of K50,000 and to imprisonment for 10 years,” said Hausi.

He therefore urged all transporter brokers and importers of the liquid fuels or gas to ensure that they engage only licensed transporters to transport liquid fuels and gas into and within the country.

“Any transport broker or importer of liquid fuels or gas that engages unlicensed transporters commits the offence of aiding and abetting the unlicensed transporters to commit the offence of carrying on the business of transporting liquid fuels and gas without a license,” explained Hausi.

Hausi then called all unlicensed transporters of the liquid fuels or gas to “immediately cease” carrying on the business of transporting the commodities so that they should obtain the applicable licence from MERA failing which they shall be prosecuted.

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Gule
Gule
9 years ago

Penalty of Fifty Million plus ten years imprisonment. Why should one suffer twice? Yoy Law professionals, is thid realistic?

KAMBEWA CHISALE
9 years ago

WHY IS MALAWI GOVERNMENT USING THISE TRANSPORTER? WE KNOW THAT YOU GIVE THESE PEOPLE GIVE BOSES AT CAPITAL HILL KICK BACKS.THE GOVERNMENT COULD SAVE A LOT IF THEY COULD BE USING NACALA CORRIDOR BY TRAIN.

charlie hebdo
charlie hebdo
9 years ago

Zondiwe, you are right. Why wash your dirty linen in public? It is easier to just ask the fuel broker to knock off a certain amount from their payment and pay for the licence, period. Moreover mera says only those five transporters can be used to haul fuel…really? No way!!!! Malawi might be using 150 to 200 trucks per day. Where will mera find capacity to deliver the fuel?

Mbanangwa
9 years ago

Maybe we can buy affordable cheap fuel. Fuel has gone very low in America.

chingolopiyo
9 years ago

Hausi, the fine is too small , its better to increase the fine, not MK50,000 people can take advantage knowing that they will be able to settle the fine. Put a hefty fine that will drain their business, and government can benefit from this fines that is how rich countries are making a lot of money.

Zondiwe
9 years ago

Who is giving these unlicensed transporters goods to transport? Before issuing senseless warnings, check your systems. If there are no mechanisms to regulate the transportation of these commodities, please put the mechanisms in place.
Why not help these unlicensed transporters to get the licenses? You could have done this quietly rather than raise the red flag as you have done.
Always put yourself in the other person’s shoes!

kanchenga
kanchenga
9 years ago
Reply to  Zondiwe

Thank you Zondiwe. It is people like these who deliberately create problems in order to benefit from them. When that fails they start raising red flags.

Clement
Clement
9 years ago

tsitsaninso ntengo wamafuta! kumene mwachitaku ndikutinamiza chabe chifukwa mafuta atsika kwambili pa market world wide, 46us
pagolo

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