Police officers are behind the thriving illegal sale of fuel and other petroleum products, a trade that is worsening fuel scarcity in Malawi.

The illegal trade of fuel is also dampening the image of President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and his government, as some motorists wrongly accuse President Chakwera that he is failing to tame the problem.

Our investigations, which included observations, confirmed the involvement of law enforcers in purchasing fuel in jerry cans at Simso Filling Station at Area 25, Kanengo Puma Filling Station, Petroda Filling Station at Salima Turn Off and Area 30 Petroda Filling Station in Lilongwe.

Our investigations further revealed that the cops have employed young men who are buying and selling the fuel in water bottles on their behalf.

“That’s why you can’t see the police arresting these fuel vendors in Lilongwe. At least, we have heard about arrests of fuel vendors in Dowa, but not in Lilongwe because the owners of that fuel are law enforcers,” bragged one of the vendors at Njanji Stage at Area 49.

His account was corroborated by many others at Nsungwi Market in Area 25.

Ironically, the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) seems to have given up on implementing its mandate.