The closure of Zambia’s sole and obsolete refinery, Indeni Petroleum Refinery and the sudden ownership pull-out of French petroleum giants, Total International, are believed to have led to the month-long fuel crisis in Zambia.

The shortage of fuel, which has also struck neighbouring Malawi, has crippled operations in many industries while motorists have been forced to spend nights at gas stations with hopes of getting the first available stocks of the commodity.

A snip check in selected gas stations in Lusaka on Monday indicated the availability of petrol, diesel and kerosene.

An attendant at one of the gas stations checked, John Cab said “we have been receiving some petrol which has been the main problem. I think the question now is how sustainable is the stocks that we have? We have seen situations where we have fuel but then it suddenly runs out. I hope a lasting solution has now been found”.

Cab could not state how long the available stocks would last but was quick to say, “filling stations in Lusaka’s Central Business District have substantial loads of petrol and diesel”.

Zambia’s Energy Minister, Kenneth Konga, has been under public pressure to step-down for allegedly failing to explain to the nation the current stocks of petroleum stocks that have so far been imported from Middle East since the onset of fuel shortages last October.

Konga has however, refused to resign assuring the nation that the erratic fuel shortage is under control and has since normalised nationwide.