By Suleman Chitera

Malawians can breathe a sigh of relief as the Transporters Association of Malawi (TAM) has announced that 300 fuel tankers are en route to the country this weekend to ease the ongoing fuel shortages.

According to TAM spokesperson Frank Banda, the trucks are being dispatched from Tanga Port in Tanzania and Beira in Mozambique — two of Malawi’s main fuel import routes.

“Two hundred trucks are coming from Tanzania while one hundred have been dispatched to Beira. In addition, more fuel is expected to arrive by train from Nacala Port,” Banda told Zodiak this evening.

The announcement comes amid sporadic fuel shortages that have affected most parts of the country, disrupting transport, business operations, and daily life.

The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has attributed the persistent shortages to the country’s low foreign exchange reserves, which have made it difficult to pay for fuel imports on time.

MERA recently assured the public that it is working closely with the Reserve Bank of Malawi and key stakeholders to stabilize supply through improved forex availability and logistics coordination.

The arrival of the 300 fuel tankers is expected to significantly ease the pressure on filling stations across the country, especially in major cities such as Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu, and Zomba, where long queues have become common.