Posted on 12/14/2002 12:31:18 AM PST by Prodigal Son
Harare - Zimbabwe has run out of petrol amid allegations that the sole state oil-procuring firm wants to cancel a fuel supply deal made two years ago between President Robert Mugabe and his Libyan ally Muammar Gaddafi, the state daily reported on Friday.
"Petrol pumps ran dry throughout the country yesterday amid shocking revelations that the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOCZIM) is contemplating terminating its secure fuel deal with Tamoil, a Libyan international oil supplier," The Herald said.
The report alleged that NOCZIM is hoarding fuel in an effort to press for price increases.
The government has announcd a price freeze on basic commodities. An increase in the price of fuel would force the price of most other goods and services to go up too.
Last year, the price of fuel was hiked by more than 70 percent, sparking national protests in the form of a two-day strike organised by the labour movement.
Libya, which has been meeting 70 percent of Zimbabwe's petroleum-based fuel needs, entered into an agreement last year with the southern African country, to be paid for fuel imports in Zimbabwe dollars.
Zimbabwe has suffered chronic fuel shortages for two years, caused by severe foreign currency shortages and corruption at NOCZIM.
Two years ago Mugabe admitted that senior NOCZIM officials had bungled a similar $100-million (about R900-million) deal with Libya, in which Zimbabwean oil officials took Libyan money but bought South African fuel.
The misuse of the funds incensed Libya, prompting it to freeze the remaining aid. The deal was later renewed.
The privately owned Daily News last month reported that Libya had renounced the fuel supply deal, but the Libyan ambassador to Harare, Mahmoud Youseff Azzabi, denied the deal had been scrapped.
He did say, however: "As with commercial transactions the world over, hiccups may occur from time to time". - Sapa-AP
They are out of gas. Stopped dead. They shall proceed no further.
2Ti 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
The rulers in high places, devils, have been cast down and inhabit the bodies of leaders. Woe!
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
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