Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Dark Wednesday

Malawi was all good news not long ago: a growing economy (the world's second fastest growing after Qatar), peaceful elections in May, 2009.

What else? We had our own problems but we never anticipated anything like the fuel shortage that is with us now. Let alone now when the subsidised fertiliser for this year has been done in time, a couple of months before first rains. We all relaxed.

Then, suddenly, power interuptions became common. Mobile phone networks elusive. Fuel dissappeared. This is Wednesday, 2 December, and the fuel situation is just bad. Vehicles are parked. People have no clue how they will travel tonight. It is all unbelievable. Not long ago, we could buy petrol or diesel any time, any quantity, knowing we would find the gas any other time we want it.

No more. This Wednesday is dark. But as we say, the darkest hour, the nearer the dawn. Let's all hope we will have fuel in the country on Thursday as the Petroleum Importers official has said in the media today.

2 comments:

Boni Dulani said...

Good to see your optimism. However, shouldn't we also prepare ourselves to the fact that this darkness, rather than being a precursor of a new dawn, might instead be an indicator of an impending total eclipse,considering that the forex shortage is unlikely to be addressed for months to come. For the good of Malawi, though, I hope you are right about the coming dawn.

Anonymous said...

Too bad for our economy .We absolutely need power all day if we are to attract investors.good communication,good transportation system though with good roads but without fuel everthing crumbles.
On forex we need long term solution.I feel as a nation we need to diversfy our economy so that we shouldn't rely much on the usual sources of our forex.
Mzati can you write some thing on the forex issue as most people in Malawi seems do not understand on how the country gets its forex....most feel that the stronger the kwacha less forex which i vehemently do not agree....
Write more!