By Our Reporter

BLANTYRE — Long queues have emerged at some filling stations in Blantyre as motorists scramble for fuel amid signs of renewed shortages in parts of the city.

Petroda filling stations along Tsiranana Road in Limbe and some of the company’s stations in the Mount Pleasant area were among those reported to have fuel, attracting motorists who formed long queues as they waited to fill their vehicles.

The situation was different at several other filling stations across Blantyre, where motorists were finding no fuel available, raising concerns about a possible return of the fuel supply challenges that have affected the country in recent months.

The latest developments are likely to cause concern among motorists and businesses that depend heavily on reliable fuel supplies for transportation and other daily operations.

Malawi experienced significant fuel shortages several months ago, with the government attributing the disruptions largely to difficulties in accessing foreign exchange needed to import petroleum products.

The shortages were also linked to disruptions in the international market, including the impact of geopolitical tensions and the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which contributed to uncertainty in global energy markets.

The reappearance of long queues in Blantyre comes as motorists remain sensitive to any disruption in fuel supplies following the previous shortages, which affected transportation and resulted in long queues at filling stations in several parts of the country.

However, it remains unclear whether the current situation represents a temporary distribution problem affecting individual filling stations or the beginning of another nationwide fuel shortage.

Authorities and fuel suppliers have yet to provide a detailed explanation of the latest situation in Blantyre.

Motorists are therefore being urged to monitor developments and avoid unnecessary panic buying, which can further increase pressure on available fuel stocks.

Malawi Freedom Network will continue monitoring fuel availability in Blantyre and other parts of the country and provide updates as more information becomes available.