The Uganda National Bureau of Standards has warned Ugandans against buying fuel from unlicensed roadside sellers, saying the practice exposes consumers to adulterated products, fire hazards, environmental pollution and financial losses.
The warning was issued during a stakeholders’ meeting in Masaka, where officials from UNBS and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development met fuel station operators and local leaders to discuss fuel quality, consumer protection and the safe handling of petroleum products.
UNBS Deputy Executive Director for Management and Financial Services Daniel Richard Makayi Nangalama said the standards body regularly inspects and tests petroleum products entering Uganda and those sold at licensed filling stations.
He said cooperation from local authorities, fuel dealers and consumers was necessary to identify and stop the distribution of adulterated fuel.
“UNBS carries out regular inspections and testing to ensure that fuel sold in Uganda meets the required standards. However, we cannot succeed alone. We need local leaders and the public to work with us by reporting suspected cases of adulterated fuel,” Nangalama said.
He advised consumers to purchase fuel only from licensed filling stations, warning that petroleum products sold in jerrycans and plastic bottles may not meet the required quality and safety standards.
“Selling fuel in jerrycans and plastic bottles along the roadside is extremely risky. It exposes people to fire hazards, environmental pollution and financial losses. Fuel should only be purchased from licensed filling stations,” he said.
Kimanya-Kabonera Bodaboda Riders chairperson Ibrahim Kiyimba told the meeting that motorcycle riders and people operating generators had suffered losses after buying suspected substandard fuel.
“Many motorcycle riders and generator owners have suffered losses after buying poor-quality fuel. We believe some unscrupulous dealers are adulterating fuel before selling it to unsuspecting consumers,” Kiyimba said.
Adulterated or contaminated fuel can damage vehicle engines and generators, forcing consumers to incur repair costs.
UNBS has previously advised Ugandans to purchase fuel from authorised dispensing points, where the quality and quantity can be monitored by regulators.
Officials also asked members of the public to report fuel outlets suspected of selling adulterated products or providing customers with less fuel than they paid for.
During the meeting, Ministry of Energy officials also encouraged households to adopt cleaner cooking technologies to reduce dependence on charcoal and firewood.
The ministry’s Commissioner for Petroleum Supply, Rev. Frank Tukwasibwe, said the government was promoting liquefied petroleum gas as a cleaner alternative to traditional cooking fuels.
“We are encouraging households to shift from charcoal and firewood to gas in order to reduce deforestation and conserve the environment. Government partnered with Stabex to provide free gas cylinders, while beneficiaries only pay for the gas refill,” Tukwasibwe said.
The government-supported programme provides selected households with LPG starter equipment as part of efforts to increase access to cleaner cooking energy.
Representatives of Stabex Petroleum urged beneficiaries not to sell the cylinders issued under the programme, saying they were intended to help households make a lasting transition to gas.
Uganda launched the LPG starter-kit initiative to reduce reliance on biomass fuels, with the programme targeting the distribution of kits to households across the country.
The Masaka engagement formed part of continuing efforts by UNBS and the Ministry of Energy to improve compliance with petroleum standards, protect consumers and promote safer energy use.
