Fuel Tanker Drivers Protest At Indeni
FUEL tanker drivers yesterday staged protests over government’s failure to give them at least 20 per cent of sub-contracts as demanded by the law.
The Zambian tanker drivers had on Tuesday threatened, through a representative who only identified himself as SG Mawaso, to disrupt fuel distribution in the country if government and oil marketing companies continued engaging foreign drivers instead of prioritising locals.
Tanker Drivers Association of Zambia secretary general Humphrey Kapesha said it was unfair for government to allow its citizens to suffer while giving fuel transporting business dubiously to foreign firms.
The tanker drivers parked their trucks and gathered at Indeni Oil Refinery where they started singing solidarity songs and denounced government for abandoning its citizens.
They demanded to meet President Edgar Lungu.
“Our concerns remain the same, we still have foreigners getting our business with the blessing of government. Why is the government not following laws to protect its citizens? The Minister of Energy and directors are busy protecting the foreigners at our expense of his own people,” Kapesha complained.
” We want business even us the local people. What will we ever benefit from? We just need to meet the President maybe he can listen and act. These ministers and directors have failed us. Better if we meet the President so that he can tell us what he is doing for us the local Zambians. There is this 20 per cent which should be ours; the 20 percent sub-contracts but we don’t know who is sitting on it. It should be given to Zambians, not foreigners. Government is losing a lot of money to give the foreigners to transport fuel. If they say we stop, we will and go to farms to fight with armyworms. Why should they use foreigners from Zimbabwe and Tanzania and forget about us, as if we are not citizens? We pay for parking, yet these foreigners don’t.”
Government has contracted Dalbit, Sahara and Delta to transport fuel from Tanzania to Indeni.
And in an earlier warning of the planned transportation stoppage, Mawaso said they would not hesitate to block fuel tankers from using Zambian roads if their demands were not met.
“If you injure one, together we stand. My fellow BVOs, you should take this message very seriously, we don’t want any of you to be caught unaware because this is going to be very serious. This one will not be like the previous ones. This one will go on until our goal is met, until our demands are met. We will ensure that we are listened to and people are going to comply. Gentlemen, we are planning for a stop one of these days to deliver fuel because of circumstances,” Mawaso warned in a recording posted on social media on Tuesday evening.
“…suppliers have started bringing fuel again leaving our Zambian contractors. Where are we going gentlemen? There are a lot of transporters who are trying to bring vehicles into Zambia but if the transporters who are already there can be denied work, even the same transporters who are going to bring trucks in Zambia, they will be denied work. If transporters who are trying to bring vehicles in Zambia can be denied work, even a driver will not have work.”
He also warned that the drivers would not fail to deal with stubborn tanker drivers who would not comply with their planned work stoppage.
“This is GS Mawaso…now telling you that this is coming. When we say all tracks should park, that means no offloading, no loading. So you drivers must start saving some money that will help you feed when operations halt. There won’t be anything like, no I transport oil for Total in South Africa or that I am taking to Mozambique, when we say park the vehicles, they should all park as long as it is a tanker. This will include all tankers, whether they carry fuel or not, as long as those vehicles use our Zambian roads, they will all park because we won’t know their destination,” Mawaso added.
“Don’t forget guys, anyone who will trouble us, it’s better we eliminate you, we are ready to close some companies that are not ready to work with us because this is serious and we are not joking. We shall close down all companies not ready to work with us and we’ll only leave out those companies that will listen to us, those who can listen to our cry; we are not going to spare anyone. So if you have got a link with Total, tell them, if you have got a link with Puma, tell them this is what is coming. When an announcement is made on that particular day, all trucks should be parked wherever you shall be, whether you are carrying acid or water, as long as it is a tanker, you should park.”
He called for unity among tanker drivers if their mission was to succeed.
“I’m making myself very clear, we don’t want to start fighting amongst ourselves, this is for us all. Mind you, if you are smiling today, just know that one day you will cry, that is how life is. So before you cry, can we clear this mess. We are tired of pleading for each other. This is the time for us to work together, to fight together,” said Mawaso.
“I was waiting to get a confirmation from the executive and they have given me a go ahead. I know that some of us will lose jobs after this but we do not care as long as our programme succeeds. If you have got a link to the government, tell them, we are not hiding anything, we have come out openly. Ichikalipa chumfwa umwine, me I am working but I’m not happy. Look at me, I am here stuck in Kansanshi, there are a lot of foreign trucks…they are still contracting other companies, why don’t they take the fuel to their countries of origin? They can’t stop us from collecting our fuel because that fuel has been bought for Zambia. Those who will insist should fly if they want as long as they will not drive on our roads.”