Fuel is now scarce at the pump in Kinshasa, as the capital of the DRC begins to pay the price for Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
You have to wait several hours to fill your car's tank. The situation is worrying in a megacity of at least 17 million inhabitants.
"We spent two and a half hours just looking for fuel. In our country, there's no fuel. Why? Because of the war between Iran and the United States. Yes, we're suffering a lot here. There's no fuel, there's no gasoline… it's been like this for… today is the second day. Look at the people who are suffering, and transportation is difficult because of the lack of fuel," says Marcel Lobo, a motorcycle taxi driver.
The war in the Middle East is being used to justify the scarcity of petroleum products. There is widespread incomprehension among the population.
“Here, they tell us it’s the war in the Middle East that’s causing the fuel shortage. But the war only started a few days ago, and there are no supplies here. Why? They’re lying. And now, even to buy fuel at the pump, you have to add a little something, you see, for them to agree to sell you a single liter.” “No, but here they tell us it’s the war in the Middle East that’s causing the fuel shortage. But the war only started a few days ago, and we don’t have any stock here. Why? They’re lying. So, even to buy fuel at the pump, you have to add a little something, for them to sell you a liter,” asks Moise Ilunga, a motorcycle taxi driver.
Several other African countries have been experiencing fuel shortages since the start of the war in the Middle East. The continent is heavily dependent on imports for its petroleum product needs.
