Energy Minister PETER KAPALA says the importation of finished petroleum products through the Tanzania Zambia Mafuta -TAZAMA- pipeline will not knock local fuel transporters out of business.
Mr. KAPALA says this is because local fuel transporters will still be involved in ferrying the commodity from the main storage depots and distributing across the country.
He says fuel pump prices will reduce once the reconfiguration of the TAZAMA pipeline from transporting commingled feed-stock to finished and refined products is completed.
Mr. KAPALA adds that the re-configuration of the pipeline which runs from Dar-es-Salaam to Ndola will enable it to pump and transport refined low sulphur diesel to indeni refinery, which has now become an Oil Marketing Company -OMC.
He also says his ministry is discussing with Zimbabwe to enable their pipeline to import finished petroleum products from the Mozambican coast to Msasa town about 480 kilometers from Lusaka.This is contained in a statement availed to ZNBC news in Lusaka.