The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, is the transport route for around 20% of the oil traded worldwide and a significant part of the liquefied natural gas transported by sea. However, the waterway is under Iranian control and the Iranians are not allowing most ships to pass through. Mozambique also imports fertilizers through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the President, speaking on Monday in the city of Nampula, in the north of the country, at a ceremony in which he delivered more than 100 public transport buses to 15 municipalities, “we are waiting for the war to end as quickly as possible so that fuel prices stabilize. But, if it doesn’t end, there will come a time when fuels will start to reach new prices, and this could lead us to take measures, as happened during the COVID-19 pandemic”.
“When that moment comes, we will take measures. One of these actions is what we are anticipating with the introduction of these buses. Being public transport, even if the price increases, the State will have to subsidize it so that people continue to pay the same price”, he said.
The President explained that Mozambique still has fuel reserves acquired before the start of the US-Israel attack against Iran, which will allow it to keep prices stable until the end of April or beginning of May.
“We have fuel in the ports of Maputo, Beira and Nacala, purchased before the war. Furthermore, there were already ships on their way to the country with fuel purchased at the old prices,” he said.
Chapo also condemned false reports about alleged fuel shortages. “There are those who agitate our people, saying that tomorrow there will be no more fuel, creating a race for pumps. This is misinformation. The true information is what the government transmits regularly”, he stated.
The 100 new buses will be distributed across 15 municipalities in the Center and North regions of the country, representing an investment of more than 490 million meticais (around US$7.6 million at current exchange rates).
Chapo said that this measure “is not just an administrative act, but a specific step towards bringing Mozambicans closer to opportunities and improving the living conditions of our people”, he said.
According to the President, the introduction of new buses will reduce waiting times at stops, increase transport capacity and improve safety levels in the beneficiary cities.
It is estimated that the buses benefit approximately 780 thousand passengers per month, equivalent to more than nine million trips per year.
Chapo also highlighted that many of the vehicles are powered by compressed natural gas, a solution that combines economic efficiency and environmental responsibility, aligning the country with global energy transition trends.
The initiative is part of a broader program that foresees the acquisition of 1,145 buses to strengthen urban and rural mobility across the country.
“The good management of these resources is a duty of the people we represent,” said Chapo. He urged his audience to “drive with respect and a sense of mission, because these buses transport citizens who trust in the safety of the public service”.
The buses, he added, are a concrete step in building a more integrated, more productive country concerned with the well-being of its people.
(AIM)
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