Minibus fares increase following Malawi fuel price hike
Commuters will have to dig deep into their pockets as Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (Moam) has increased minibus fares by 10 percent following Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera)’s upward adjustment of fuel prices.
Coxley Kamange, Secretary General for MOAM has described the rise in pump prices as unfortunate saying it has come at a time when there is a reduction in minibus sitting capacity due to Covid19 regulations.
With this, Kamange has said minibus fares will be raised by 10 percent.
As it is Petrol is now selling at 899 Kwacha per litre from 834.60 kwacha per litre representing 7.74 percent adjustment.
Diesel has moved from 826 kwacha per litre to 898 kwacha per litre representing 8.66 percent price increase whilst Paraffin is now being sold at 719 kwacha per litre from 613 kwacha per litre which represents 17.35 percent.
In separate random interviews with Nyasa Times, commuters expressed concern with the increased fares, saying the adjustments will trigger price increases of basic household items.
In an interview, a Bangwe resident Grace Thupi, said the fuel price hike will likely deeply affect consumers.
In a separate interview, Johny Kalakasi Jnr of Zingangwa also expressed fear that the adjustments will negatively affect consumers.
In his reaction, Consumers Association of Malawi executive director John Kapito described the increase as a sad development.
But Minister of Energy, Newton Kambala said government has been increasing the prices so that they reflect the international trends but also to generate money to clear the debt which he accused the previous Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government of depleting the fuel stabilization fund and in turn, accumulating a K40 billion fuel debt.
According to Kambala, it will take a long time to clear the debt and build the stabilization fund.
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The only way out is for the government to introduce electric minibus, along with electric and solar infrastructure (charging points) for electric minibuses. This will save on fuel costs, and reduce diesel pollution of the atmosphere while getting a good jumpstart on climate goals. Next could come electric trucks (like Tesla mini) and world class, efficient and corruption-free (like Botswana) goods transportation sector. Lets do this together.
Pa ulendo opita kudziko lolonjezedwa lija
boma lakanika ili, iwe chilima ukuti bwa ndevu chabe mbuu mgati wathila chipala
A Malawi timakonda kudandaula mafuta akwera pafupifupi makiko ambiri .Ngati mayiko ochita bwino ngati south Africa akwera kulibwanji Malawi
Wasnt is Chilima who told people it is only Dpp that raises fuel prices,that everywhere else prices go down? That Tonse government wont raise prices? what the hell are you talking about?just shutup!
Check their GDP and compare that of Malawi. You will find why Malawians are crying. Someone right in the parliament has argued that this price hike can be cushioned to protect Malawians.
Where were you with this opinion when Chilima was busy castigating Apm for raising fuel prices??
The reason of increase as per the responsible minister are naive,and shows his shallow mind.You mean you are punishing people for the sake of paying the outstanding debit?then why are we paying the taxes for?
Shame Malawi government 6.2b could bailout the fuel but they choose to eat few this what happens
This is a dying business. There is no money in the minibus business and you end up paying high insurance premiums, you pay the police who have eyes on the business and you end up losing more money on tyres and other services to maintain the vehicles. It’ s a very frustrating business. The traffic police reap where they never sowed.
Mafuta akwera ndi 7% koma minibus prices akwera ndi 10%. Moam kodi mmaganiza bwanji? The 10% increment will be borne by all commuters individually when in actual fact minibus sinyamula munthu mmodzi. The increment by moam was supposed to have followed this logic.
In any case it’s minibus owners that benefit from fuel price increase by making additional profits.
Lack of timing, why not use the funds you are distributing to tonse members to caution the fuel fund. In that case it will benefit all Malawians.
That’s what happens when you have full of dunderheads at the helm. Too much talk as if they are brainy.
Ifenso tingoyamba ma strike for salary increase basi, that’s the solution. We can’t survive on the same salary ya makedzana.
The main problem is here is selfishness. We all know that government doesn’t raise fuel prices. It is done automatically depending on prevailing economic conditions among other factors. The point however is the way min buses rush to effect increases of fares when fuel prices increase and remain quiet when prices decrease. It is this a kind of practice that Malawians feel cheated with. This is where government should immediately come in to regulate. They already increased min bus fares immediately when the sitting capacity was slashed due to covid 19. Today they bring same reason for new hike of fares. This is not on. This is a group of business people that needs to be checked and properly regulated because they are reaping on Malawians.
You can’t blame business people. The problem is with inept leaders.
Boma lakanika ili
Ife mmene business ya minibus imayamba in 1996 timalipira K5.00 and fuel was at K7.90 and the Kwacha was at K15 to a dollar. This was not MCP. Now fuel is at K900. The prices in Zambia are the same as in Malawi or slight higher yet they have a pipeline from Tanzania.
Hey zambia prices are way cheaper than what you have in malawi.equivalent to your kwacha zambia diesel price is k623 and 680 diesel.Let your government zero rate the tax on fuel and then all increases will stop.That fuel increase will trigger inflation and malawi will not be an easy place to stay.
Kuyendetsa kukuvuta zimaoneka zophweka akamapanga wina apapa ifeyo osaukafe ndiamene totavutike chifukwa andalama azikwanisa kukangila paoda zithu zofi ikira nde Kaya ife mawu tilibe kwathu mkulira kuti Kodi dzikolathu likupita kutiko
Kodi mtengo was Petrol unali bwanji before Covid-19 struck us? Pano mayiko are opening up their economies ndiye mafuta akhala akukwera mpaka adzafike pa pre-covid-19 price..
No sweat, working from home and on shifts haha!
Please govt bring back bus companies like Shire Bus lines to compete with minibuses
Akuvutika ndi ma companies we are working for amwene, this country to recover from this covid-19 disaster sipano