Transporters increase fares despite stable fuel prices

KIGALI - Though the government has tried its best to regulate and maintain low pump prices as compared to other countries in the region experiencing the same fuel crisis, consistency in transport fares has not been guaranteed. There has been an increase in transport fares especially by motorcycle operators and special hire taxi drivers. The long queues and long hours spent at pump stations are their justification for the increment. A distance that was formerly charged Rwf1500 is now at Rwf2500. In some cases the fare more than trebles, especially in the evening when options are very limited. “We appreciate the fact that the fuel prices have remained stable at the pump stations and in normal circumstances there wouldn’t be any reason to increase fares. But given the current hassles, the fuel we burn looking for fuel and the time we spend at the pumps, we had to increase,” a special hire driver operating in Remera but who preferred not be identified in the press, said. When The Sunday Times contacted the chairman of Atraco transport company, Louis Twahirwa Dodo, he said that it is against the law to increase transport fares and anyone caught in the act of increasing fares will be punished as stipulated, by the law. During a telephone interview with the Director General of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency, François Zimulinda, he vehemently condemned the act saying that he has already heard of such cases and that he is only waiting for proof in order to take the necessary measures. “We have contacted all the CEO’s of the transport companies and the police to keep track of the people charging higher than the set fares so that we can deal with them,” said Zimulinda. Yesterday, government announced that the fuel crisis which marred the festive season will soon come to an end as new supplies begin to arrive. The Minister of Commerce, Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Friday revealed that some trucks had arrived and others were on the way. She added that the ministry was working on modalities to permanently solve the crisis. The shortage was reportedly brought about by the ongoing renovation of the oil pipelines in Kenya. Another factor is the fear by international suppliers of the recent upsurge of Somali pirates who have been hijacking vessels plying the Indian Ocean route. This crisis was further worsened by the act of local dealers halting fuel importation out of fear of incurring losses, until government cut taxes on fuel. To cover the gap created by this shortage, government supplied at least 5 million litres from its reserves as it waited for more supplies to arrive. Government also introduced fuel rationing with cars being allowed to consume not more than 20 litres per day during the shortage. Drivers in Kigali had resorted to hoarding huge quantities of fuel in anticipation of further shortages. Ends