Playing dirty: Fuel hoarders allegedly aggravating fuel prices for profit

The URA spokesperson, Ibrahim Bbosa, who also serves as the Assistant Commissioner Corporate Affairs, said that he smells a rat whose stench is louder than the cries of the public at the hiking fuel prices.

He noted that taxes on fuel are not responsible for the fuel drought presently because they have not been increased.

“The last time I compared the fuel prices between Uganda and Kenya, the difference was marginal. The taxes have not changed. The taxes of last year are the same this financial year. The price increments did not start this year. There are many other things we are not willing to accept,” he said.

On the outskirts of Uganda, prices in Kisumu and Nakuru where Uganda gets her fuel, prices have remained relatively low at Ksh114.7 (Shs3,785) and Ksh130 (Shs4,290) a litre, respectively.

However, the prices in Uganda have doubled within a short period of time and hoarders are suspected of taking advantage of the situation.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy, Solomon Muyita, mentioned that fuel vessels docking in Mombasa are partly to blame because delayed delivery creates a gap in the economy for the forces of demand and supply to determine prices.

The only way to alleviate the situation is for government to boost the volume of fuel to be imported in the coming months, said Muyita.