Govt starts campaign to fight fuel adulteration

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, and Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) have launched a joint campaign to end fuel adulteration.

The team has lined up countrywide activities that include sensitisation of Ugandans on fuel quality and quantity at fuel stations.

The exercise is underway in Masindi, Hoima, Kyenjojo, Kabarole, and Kasese districts.
The campaign had been suspended following the Covid-19 lockdowns but  resumed after President Museveni lifted them.

The government also introduced the fuel marking and quality monitoring programme to control and monitor the quality of petroleum products in the entire supply chain.

During sensitisation in Hoima on Tuesday, the UNBS principal analyst and field supervisor of the fuel marking, Mr Peter Kitimbo, said the programme has reduced fuel adulteration in the country to less than 1 percent.

“When the ministry and UNBS started the fuel quality monitoring programme in 2000, the fuel adulteration rates were at 30 percent. Today, the rates are down to less than 1 percent, which is good for the consumer,” Mr Kitimbo said.

More than 10  fuel stations in western region that have been implicated in violating licensing regulations have been closed.

They are accused of fuel adulteration, breaking seals placed by the Ministry of Energy on fuel pumps and selling fuel in unauthorised items such as bottles and polythene packs.

“Fuel adulteration cases have been high in this region. We are here to sensitise the public and fuel dealers against the vice and to discourage the sale of fuel in jerrycans, bottles and polythene packs because it is a danger to human life and property,” Mr Kitimbo said.

Fuel adulteration refers to an illegal introduction of any foreign substance into fuel to increase its quantity, leading to non-compliance of standard specifications.

The practice is dangerous because it damages engines of automobiles.

The government introduced the fuel marking programme to ensure that all fuel meant for local consumption is marked at the border points.

The programme also has mobile testing vehicles that carry out spot samples and testing of fuel quality at all fuel retail stations as well as verify and calibrate fuel pumps to ensure accuracy of measurements and value for money.

Speaking on behalf of motorists, Mr Richard Mwesigwa asked for precautions they should take to prevent being cheated at fuel stations and the recommended fuel stations.

Mr Lawrence Kitimbo, a senior inspector from UNBS, urged residents to be vigilant while buying fuel from the different fuel stations to avoid being cheated.

“Ensure that fuel is bought from fuel pumps with UNBS stickers. This is confirmation that the fuel pumps were verified and calibrated by UNBS so that  you consume accurate measurements,”  Mr Kitimbo said.

He said fuel pumps of licensed petrol stations are verified and sealed every six months to prevent fuel dealers from tampering with them.

Mr Kitimbo said the standards body has discovered some instances where fuel dealers break seals and re-adjust fuel dispensing pumps to cheat customers.

“Penalties have been slapped on the five cases we have discovered in Bunyoro and we are determined to fight this vice,” he said.

Ms Sylvia Kirabo, head of public relations and marketing at UNBs, said this week’s sensitisation exercise will cover all parts of western region, including Masindi and Kasese to educate locals on fuel quality, standards and sharing consumer tips to ensure fair trade.

How fuel stations cheat customers

Mr Lawrence Kitimbo, a senior inspector from UNBS, said there is a tendency of the fuel stations’ management to display lower prices on billboards to attract clients, yet the actual pump prices are higher. “The customer is often not aware and he/she gets less of anticipated fuel,” he said.

Toll free line: Officials encouraged the public to report any cheating tendencies by fuel stations to UNBS using toll free line 0800133133.