The price of a liter of gasoline has fallen at the pump in recent days in the town of Mbuji-Mayi in Kasai-Oriental.
Two weeks ago, the liter was trading between 5,800 or even 6,000 Congolese francs (FC), while today it is selling at 5,000 FC.
The president of the Association of Importers of Petroleum Products (APIKOR), Kalu Tshitenda, justifies this drop by several factors.
First of all, there is the arrival last week in Mbuji-Mayi of several trucks which had gotten stuck on national road number 1 (RN1) on the Kananga-Mbuji-Mayi and Tshikapa-Kananga axes.
« There was the isolation of the Kananga-Mbuji Mayi road and even Kananga-Tshikapa. Some trucks were blocked on site, there was a ravine from Kananga-Mbuji-Mayi, but the road was freed after some work was carried out, thus facilitating the passage of trucks “, he explained.
This drop in the price of fuel delights the inhabitants of the province, for whom the increase had a real negative impact on daily life, notably with the increase in the price of public transport.
The president of APIKOR nevertheless warned that this price drop is temporary:
« It’s for a short time since the state of the road still leaves something to be desired ».
Kalu Tshitenda then explains that the drop in the price of gasoline is also due to the change in their place of supply.
He indicates that in Lubumbashi (Haut-Katanga) where they previously got their supplies, a liter of gasoline costs 4,500 FC.
« But today, we buy fuel in Moanda (Kongo-Central), there, the price is a little more reasonable », he reassures, without specifying the purchase price.
In Mbuji-Mayi, customers are rejoicing and rubbing their hands because of this drop, even if it is only temporary.