Blantyre City Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman has defended his presence at fuel service stations to manage chaotic queues, despite fresh scrutiny of his conduct. A recent video showed him charging at a man at a station, reviving concerns about his behavior. Osman said his presence allows "weak and vulnerable" people, including women, to access fuel by blocking queue-jumping and restoring order.
The incident at Mount Pleasant TotalEnergies Service Station in Blantyre has raised questions about Osman's conduct, following a separate confrontation in May when he was filmed slapping a woman. Osman apologized for his actions then, but the latest incident has sparked renewed debate. In a live Facebook broadcast, Osman denied beating the man involved, acknowledging only that he had pushed him.
Osman stated that he goes to fuel service stations to control queues and prevent chaos, not to beat people. He argued that some motorists take advantage of fuel deliveries to jump queues and block vehicles that have been waiting. His interventions, he claimed, protect consumers who follow the established order.
Osman reiterated his determination to prevent queue-jumping at a Malawi Local Government Association event in Blantyre. He said he would not allow people who had waited for fuel to be disadvantaged. However, consumer rights activist Wazamazama Katatu questioned the mayor's approach, arguing that maintaining order at fuel stations should be the responsibility of law enforcement agencies.
Katatu said the current system is a crisis, with consumers spending nights at service stations, and a well-coordinated system involving the police is needed to ensure order. Human rights activist Michael Kaiyatsa also raised questions about whether Osman has changed his conduct following his earlier apology.
A motorist who was at the station prior to Osman's arrival said there were at least seven queues, although only two were legitimate. She said she would not have bought fuel without the mayor's intervention and praised his efforts to bring order to fuel service stations.
Social media users have expressed mixed reactions to Osman's actions, with some praising his efforts to promote a first-come, first-served approach. Blantyre Police spokesperson Mary Chiponda asked for more time to establish whether the incident had been reported. The mayor's actions have sparked a renewed debate about the role of local leaders in maintaining order in public spaces.
Key points
- Blantyre City Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman defends his role in managing queues at fuel service stations.
- Osman's conduct has sparked renewed debate and criticism.
- Consumer rights activists argue that maintaining order at fuel stations should be the responsibility of law enforcement agencies.
