Some business people in Chipata have taken advantage of the high fuel prices in Zambia to be smuggling cheap fuel from Malawi.
Some motorists who opted to remain anonymous told Breeze News that they are now buying fuel that is being smuggled from Malawi because it is cheap.
The motorists revealed that a 2.5 liter container of Petrol from Malawi is being sold at 35 Kwacha while the same quantity is at 45 kwacha in Zambia.
They said that a liter of diesel which is at 10 kwacha in Malawi is being sold at 13 Kwacha 70 Ngwee per liter in Zambia.
Meanwhile, Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Chanda Kasolo has wondered why taxi drivers in Chipata are complaining about the fuel price hike.
Mr. Kasolo said the drivers should be fair to commuters, because they did not reduce the fares when prices of fuel were reduced last time.
Mr. Kasolo further said the issue of drivers opting to buy fuel from Malawi, just proves how selfish they are at wanting to earn more money for themselves.
He argued that the removal of subsidies on fuel mostly used to benefit Malawians who came to Zambia on trucks to refuel when smuggling maize from Eastern province.