Middle East crisis triggers fuel shortages across East Africa

The global fuel crisis continues to send shockwaves across the region, with several African countries feeling the pressure and Kenya’s neighbour, Ethiopia, now grappling with severe shortages.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi says the persisting crisis in the Middle East, which supplies about 20 per cent of global petroleum products, is expected to last longer than anticipated.

Mbadi now says the government is relying more heavily on its G2G arrangements to source fuel from outside the region and prevent Kenya from slipping into dry fuel taps.

In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the sight of parked vehicles has become commonplace as dry fuel taps leave motorists stranded for days in the heart of the busy capital.

Unlike Kenya, Ethiopia is now battling a severe fuel crisis triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and disruptions along critical global supply routes at the Strait of Hormuz.

The shortage has cut daily diesel availability by half, grounding public and private transport and bringing movement across the city to a near standstill.

CS Mbadi says the war in the Middle East is forcing world markets into a scramble for alternative sources of fuel.

“The Middle East produces 20 per cent of fuel across the world and supplies all African countries. That has now been disrupted," said Mbadi.

Burundi is also grappling with an unprecedented fuel crisis, with scarcity causing long queues at petrol stations in Bujumbura.

Public transport has also been disrupted, slowing down daily life and economic activity.

The situation has raised concern across the region, including in Kenya, where the government says it is relying on the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Emirates National Oil Company and Aramco to source fuel outside the troubled Middle East and avoid dry fuel taps.

“We contracted some oil companies. They have a contract with us and they are looking for fuel outside the Middle East," Mbadi added.

Opposition leaders have been pushing for a review of the G2G arrangement, but the government has ruled it out.

Mozambique has also been hit by a fuel crisis, with long queues at filling stations and supply disruptions in cities such as Maputo.

Across East Africa, the Middle East conflict has disrupted supply chains and pushed up fuel prices in Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Even as Kenya maintains supply, Treasury CS John Mbadi says Kenyans should tighten their seat belts, warning that the crisis could last longer than expected.