Fuel tanker drivers defy Mera, threaten to strike

Truck drivers affiliated to Bulk Vehicle Operators Trade Union (Bvotu) have threatened to ground fuel tankers starting tomorrow, accusing the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) of failing to honour their agreement. If implemented, the action could disrupt fuel supply in the country, which remains erratic in some parts. Their main grievance is that Mera, through the National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma), has failed to commit 85 percent of the contractual fuel transportation volumes to Malawian transporters, as agreed during a meeting in April this year.

The drivers argue that many Malawian fuel tankers remain idle, causing financial hardship to truck owners, drivers and those who depend on them. In a letter to Mera dated July 25 2026, Bvotu alleges that since June last year, Nocma has allocated only 10 percent of the 7 568 fuel transportation trips to local transporters. On the other hand, Petroleum Importers Limited was allocated 81 percent of 3 887 trips during the same period.

“This comparison demonstrates that meaningful participation by Malawian transporters is entirely achievable when there is genuine commitment to doing so,” the statement signed by Bvotu secretary general Mathews Sibale reads in part. However, in a letter dated July 21 2026, seen by The Nation, Mera acknowledged receipt of an earlier letter from the union notifying the regulator of the “intended cessation of fuel transportation” and urged the drivers to call off the strike. The authority also promised to convene a meeting involving the drivers, Nocma, government institutions and other relevant stakeholders.

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It urged the drivers’ union to refrain from taking any action that would disrupt fuel supplies in the country. However, Bvotu president Boko Mkandawire told The Nation in an interview yesterday that, judging by the outcomes of previous meetings, the drivers would proceed with the strike. “We do not need communication, we need implementation of what we agreed in April,” he said.

According to Mera’s letter, however, since April 10 2026, Malawian transporters have handled about 61.5 percent of imported fuel volumes. Their participation has been 97.9 percent through Nacala and 88.6 percent through Beira in Mozambique. Asked about tomorrow’s strike, Mera spokesperson Fitina Khonje asked for a questionnaire to be sent through Mera email, but we were yet to get a response by the time we went to press time at 8pm yesterday. The drivers had also threatened to hold a strike on April 7, 2026, but called it off following a multi-stakeholder meeting at which Nocma committed to allocate 85 percent of the contractual fuel transportation volumes to Malawian transporters.

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