In the city of Pemba, the
provincial capital of Cabo Delgado, north of Mozambique the situation is far
from good, especially since December 23, 2024. The city is facing serious
problems with fuel supply. The demand exceeds the supply, and the fueling
stations are few. Long queues are forming at the pumps, and many still can't be
served.
Motorcycle taxi operators,
one of the main activities for young people, especially those displaced due to
terrorist attacks, are turning to the streets, meaning informal dealers, where
the price per liter reaches 200 meticais.
Even so, the demand for this
precious liquid for vehicles and motorcycles is not enough for everyone. Today,
December 29, there was a sharp rise in the price of chapa-cem, which went from
20 meticais to 40 meticais per passenger.
This situation deeply
saddens the residents of Pemba, especially low-income families. It is painful
for us, who depend on chapa-cem to get around the city.
What makes the situation
even more difficult is that, despite the complaints about the fare hikes, there
is no solution. There is no authority willing to listen.
In the face of the long lines
for fuel this week, the government had assured that the problem would be solved
as soon as possible, but despite this, we still don’t see a solution.
I personally was in the queue and spent almost the entire day to refuel my motorcycle. This cry for help, which translates into great despair, is not just a life story told by others, but my own experience as a citizen of this land, which is the third-largest bay in the world.
Furthermore, we are facing a
situation where, despite promises made by the authorities, there is still no
clear timeline for resolution, making it hard to predict whether the problem
will be solved in the short, medium, or long term, especially considering the
current political context after the release of the election results.
Moreover, we expect
difficult days ahead when it comes to acquiring basic food products.
Today, we are hearing
reports from other markets in the country, like in Nampula, where products are
becoming scarce. This is one of our main supply locations for basic goods in
our city, and we fear that we will also become victims of this price-hiking practice.
In fact, we are already
seeing a sharp increase in the prices of essential goods in our city. My God.
We are still feeling the effects of Cyclone Chido, and everything is already
rising. Rice is 1500 meticais, up from 1300. That’s a 200 meticais increase.
Cooking oil is around 175 meticais, up from 150 two weeks ago. Even gasoline is
being sold for 300 meticais per liter, up from 100. In short, everything is increasing
in price, making life a headache, and Pemba a difficult place to live. It's
even hard to say that life here is getting tighter. (Seven Mussa)
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