Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides)- The political crisis in Kenya is affecting the economies of bordering nations which depend to a large extent on Kenyan infrastructures for exports and imports, especially with regard to fuel.
The countries involved are Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Southern Sudan and the east of Democratic Republic of Congo. Fuel prices have risen in Uganda, where energy minister Simon D’Ujanga said the country has reserves for five days. People are queuing at petrol stations all over the country. Since the 1970s Uganda's national reserve at Jinja has held 10 million litres of petroleum, heating oil and kerosene. However local media say the reserve now contains on 7 million litres of heating oil, and extremely limited reserves of fuel. Uganda's other reserve in Nakasongola is for army use only.
Most of the oil imported in this region passes through a pipeline which extends from Mombasa to Eldoret, in west Kenya, where it is then loaded onto trucks for transport to Uganda (which consumes 2.1 million litres of fuel per day) to Rwanda, Burundi, and the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, areas which consume half as much as Uganda.
In Rwanda to avoid incidents and above all to prevent black marketing of fuel, the government has rationed the amount of fuel car owners may buy and banned the sale of fuel in cans. Eight men who were selling fuel without a licence were arrested by the police.
The government of Kigali is in contact with the Kenyan authorities to organise transport of goods destined for Rwanda deposited in warehouses in Kenyan ports. No less than 50% of Rwandan's consumer goods pass through Kenya, which has the best port infrastructures in east Africa. Rwanda is negotiating with Tanzania the supply of 4 million litres of fuel imported through the port of Dar es Salaam. Announcing the negotiations with the Tanzanian authorities, Rwandan trade minister Protais Mitali, said “there is no need for panic. The country has enough reserves of fuel to get over the crisis. We have started contact for the supply of 4 million litres of fuel. There could be further supplies according to the development of the crisis in Kenya”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 9/1/2008 righe 31 parole 425)
