Zimbabwe's Energy Minister Resigns As Fuel Crisis Worsens Zimbabwe's Energy Minister Resigns As Fuel Crisis Worsens February 26, 2000 Rangarirai Shoko PANA Correspondent HARARE, Zimbabwe (PANA) - Zimbabwe's energy minister, Enos Chikowore, resigned on Saturday in the face of a deepening three month-old fuel crisis which has forced many companies to close down. Chikowore had come under heavy criticism for failing to stamp out massive corruption, estimated to involve billions of dollars, by officials at a state-run oil procurement company which partly led to the shortage of fuel in the country. He is also accused of falsely assuring the nation there were sufficient supplies of the commodity. "The honourable thing for me to do under the circumstances is to resign with immediate effect. "Let me carry the brunt of this heavy burden with honour and humility," said Chikowore in his resignation letter to President Robert Mugabe. The fuel crisis worsened this week after a tropical cyclone prevented a ship carrying Zimbabwean oil from docking at Mozambican ports. Officials also said an oil pipeline linking the country to the ports had been damaged by Cyclone Eline. Meanwhile, the government gave in to proposals by foreign oil companies operating in Zimbabwe to be allowed to import fuel directly, bypassing the corruption-riddled state-owned National Oil Company of Zimbabwe which previously held sole rights to bring in the commodity. Five companies were issued temporary fuel import licences on Friday, but a foreign currency shortage in the country would remain a bottleneck for the oil retailers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2000 Panafrican News Agency. All Rights Reserved.