LILONGWE-(Maravipost)-The Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) has urged Malawians to accept current fuel prices, saying the country must bear the cost if fuel is to remain available.
HRCC board chairperson Robert Mkwezalamba said this in an interview with Maravipost on Friday.
Mkwezalamba said the recent fuel price increase currently standing at 41 percent reflects the pressure Malawi faces in sustaining fuel supplies.
“Our lives depend on fuel availability. If fuel is to be available in abundance, then the country has to pay the price.
“Malawi does not produce fuel, so we rely entirely on imports”, Mkwezalamba said.
He explained that various fuel levies are necessary to support national development and described the recent price increase as a necessary measure to stabilize supply.
Mkwezalamba noted that even during the previous administration, HRCC called for fuel price adjustments to avoid persistent shortages.
“We asked the past regime to increase fuel prices so that the country could stabilize the fuel market,” he said.
HRCC added that fuel scarcity has serious consequences, particularly on public transport, as shortages force operators and consumers to turn to the black market at much higher prices.
“With adequate fuel supply, public transport can stabilize. Scarcity only fuels exploitation through illegal markets,” Mkwezalamba said.
The HRCC executive director further expressed support for the automatic fuel pricing mechanism, saying it would help stabilize prices in the long term and ensure fair compensation for workers in the fuel supply chain.
He concluded by urging Malawians to live within their means and understand the economic realities behind fuel pricing, emphasizing that availability remains more critical than artificially low prices.
