Burundi’s petroleum supply agency, SOPEBU, met Monday with owners of 114 public transport vehicles after data showed possible irregularities in fuel usage.
SOPEBU Director General Samuel Ndayisenga said the vehicles had completed fewer than 10 rotations, based on information collected through digital monitoring systems.
“These 114 vehicles completed fewer than ten rotations,” Ndayisenga said, adding that the findings were established “thanks to new information and communication technologies, particularly digitalization.”
He noted that although the vehicles receive fuel allocations, some drivers did not reach official passenger pickup areas in the city center.
“Although these vehicles receive fuel, some drivers do not reach the city center, where the official parking areas intended for passenger pickup are located,” he said.
Ndayisenga reminded operators that vehicle movements are monitored through digital tools without field agents present and urged drivers to use designated routes and reach the city center to pick up passengers.
He outlined three authorized exit routes and said that vehicles not using them would be considered not to have completed a trip.
During the meeting, transport operators expressed concerns about fuel allocations for vehicles operating outside the capital, saying fuel is sometimes insufficient for a round trip. Ndayisenga said refueling points have been established in other parts of the country to address that issue.
Operators also suggested establishing a committee to handle complaints, particularly in cases of breakdowns that prevent fuel use, and called for improved monitoring of refueling sites.
Burundi has faced ongoing difficulties with fuel availability and distribution for several years. The country, which imports virtually all of its petroleum products, has struggled with intermittent shortages and high prices, driven in part by limited foreign currency reserves and challenges in securing regular fuel imports. Long queues at petrol stations and sporadic supplies have been witnessed, with transport costs and fares rising as a result.
Transporters have increasingly relied on unofficial fuel markets where prices are significantly higher than official rates, affecting costs for transportation and basic goods.
