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Dozens of motorcycle taxi drivers gathered near the official residence of the Governor of Nampula Province to protest against an alleged fuel shortage, which they say is affecting their work and incomes.
The operators said they spend several hours queuing at filling stations and, in some cases, end the day without being able to buy fuel, despite the regular arrival of fuel tanker trucks in the city.
“Every day trucks arrive here in Nampula, but when we go to the filling stations, they tell us there is no fuel. That is shocking,” motorcycle taxi driver João Lopes said, adding that he had been unable to refuel his motorcycle for three days.
According to the protesters, the shortage has also pushed up prices on the informal market. Some operators said they are paying around 300 meticais per litre, more than double the officially established maximum price.
“I have been going from one filling station to another for two weeks and even sleeping at the stations. When we arrive, they tell us the fuel has already been bought. So, who is buying the fuel?” Alfredo André Mário questioned.
The motorcycle taxi drivers said the situation worsened after authorities introduced measures to curb the informal sale of fuel on the streets.
“We accepted it when our governor said fuel sales on the streets should stop. But if there is no fuel on the streets and there is none at filling stations either, where are we supposed to refuel?” he added.
Another operator, Assamo José, said he sometimes leaves home in the early hours of the morning to secure a place in the queue but still fails to obtain fuel.
“It is not normal for someone to leave home at 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. and stay until 5:00 p.m. without getting fuel. We have children at home who need to eat, and we have no other jobs,” he said.
After learning about the gathering, Nampula Governor Eduardo Abdula went to the scene and said he was available to hear the operators’ concerns.
The governor proposed that the motorcycle taxi drivers select ten representatives to meet him at his office, in the presence of the media, to discuss their complaints and seek solutions.
“I am here to listen,” Abdula said, while calling on the protesters to leave the area around the official residence.
The governor also said that any cases of fuel being withheld or sold irregularly would be referred to the relevant authorities if the allegations were proven.
“If it is proven that there are, in fact, filling stations acting in bad faith, we will apply the law. My commitment is to my people,” he said.
The Government had already announced in August that it was investigating the causes of a renewed wave of fuel shortages affecting several parts of the country.
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