One Supplier, One Ship, One Big Lie: Open Access in Fuel a BIG LIE!
Lusaka, 9th April, 2025
Social and economic analyst Nkonkomalimba Kapumpe yesterday raised serious concerns surrounding Energy Minister Makozo Chikote’s much-celebrated Open Access fuel importation model, following revelations that a single entity has delivered 95,000 tonnes of fuel for the month of April, despite the tender being awarded to three separate companies, each allocated a maximum of 35,000 tonnes.
The Open Access Process, championed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and widely welcomed by the Zambian public, was introduced to promote transparency, break Agro Fuel’s long-standing monopoly, and reduce fuel prices through increased competition. However, the arrival of one bulk fuel shipment raises disturbing questions that suggest the process may already be compromised.
“A ship carrying 95,000 tonnes of fuel is said to have arrived in Tanzania for April, as per a tender under the Open Access Process. This process, pushed by Zambians and the IMF, aims to reduce fuel costs and break Agro Fuel’s monopoly. However, the tender was divided into three lots of 35,000 tonnes each for three companies,” Kapumpa revealed.
He questioned:
“How did a single entity manage to bring in 95,000 tonnes instead of the allocated 35,000 tonnes per lot given to three separate companies?”
“Three companies were awarded the tender in equal portions how did one company manage to supply the entire consignment?”
Such actions, if confirmed, would amount to cartel behavior, where entities collude to manipulate the market, stifle competition, and undermine public procurement processes. This would not only render the Open Access Process ineffective, but also keep fuel prices artificially high, directly hurting Zambians already struggling with the rising cost of living.
These developments stand in direct contradiction to Energy Minister Makozo Chikote’s earlier promises. Speaking in Parliament earlier this year, the Minister confidently assured Zambians that fuel prices would fall under the Open Access framework.
“We have opened up the market. There is no monopoly anymore. Zambians will soon benefit from cheaper fuel because of increased competition,” Chikote declared.
Today, those words ring hollow. The arrival of 95,000 tonnes by a single entity suggests the so-called competition may be a façade, and that the same entrenched interests continue to dominate this time in disguise.
The fuel sector continues to suffer from corruption, favoritism, and opaque procurement practices. Over the past four years, inflated pricing and secretive contracts have enriched the few while burdening the many. If reforms like Open Access are to succeed, they must be protected from hijacking by powerful players operating behind the scenes.
To add to the controversy, Radio Phoenix reported on March 27, 2024, that Energy Minister Makozo Chikote has projected that fuel prices in Zambia could only stabilize by 2027, following the completion of a planned multi-purpose pipeline aimed at improving transportation efficiency. The pipeline, to be developed under a Public-Private Partnership, is expected to transport petrol, jet A-1, and kerosene. Minister Chikote expressed confidence that this infrastructure project would complement government efforts to lower fuel costs and ensure a more stable supply across the country.
Yet the contradiction remains: if fuel stability is only expected in 2027, why was the public promised immediate relief under Open Access? Are these parallel narratives a deliberate attempt to confuse or delay accountability?
As this controversy unfolds, the nation still waits for answers not only in the fuel sector but in other areas where transparency has been promised but not delivered. Notably, the Chika Investment CDF scandal, involving questionable procurement tenders under the Constituency Development Fund, remains unaddressed. The public continues to ask: Will there be a probe, or will silence once again be used to protect the politically connected?
For the sake of justice, fairness, and the trust of the Zambian people, it is time for full disclosure. We must follow the contracts, trace the money, and ensure that no reform is used as a cloak for corruption.