Uganda is currently negotiating with Tanzania to import all of its oil products through Dar es Salaam, which would mean an end to imports via Kenya's Mombasa port. Uganda has been dissatisfied with the longstanding system under which Ugandan fuel companies buy 90% of their supplies through affiliated firms in Kenya.

President Yoweri Museveni has complained this exposes his country to supply disruptions and high pump prices.

In response, Uganda announced in November it would hand over exclusive rights for supply of all petroleum products to a unit of global energy trader Vitol.

Uganda imported $1.6 billion worth of petroleum products in 2022, mostly originating from the Gulf.

For more on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Ugandan energy expert, Dr Micah Abigaba...