A lack of letters of credit (L/Cs) is being blamed for severe fuel shortages in Zambia.

The Zambian government meanwhile is being criticised for its failure to address the shortages.

Tourism capital

The country's tourism capital, Livingstone, has been particularly hard hit by the fuel shortages.

Petrol has run out at all its six service stations, while only one forecourt is still serving diesel.

L/C blockage

Vehicle fuels are produced at Zambia's Indeni refinery in Ndola, but it has not received the feedstock it requires.

Officials at the Tazama Pipeline, which supplies the refinery, have told local media that a ship carrying feedstock docked in Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania, but could not offload owing to non-payment for the consignment by the Zambian government.

The Zambian government was scheduled to prepare an L/C for the crude but could not do so due to insufficient funds, which has led to criticisms of the government in Zambia's media.

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