In Ethiopia, fuel prices overshadow this year's Easter celebrations

As millions of Ethiopians marked Good Friday in the capital, Addis Ababa on Friday, many were continuing to suffer the impacts of the Middle East crisis, which has sparked chronic fuel shortages and rising costs of basic commodities.

This year’s celebration has become a subdued and less glamorous affair as a result, in which Christians across the country honor the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ ahead of Fasika, Ethiopia’s Easter holiday celebration on Sunday.

The day comes ahead of the end of a 55-day fasting (Abiy Tsome) that is characterized by open prayers by many donning white traditional attire in churches, followed by a festive vigil when parishioners seek forgiveness and peace at home and abroad to be celebrated on Easter Sunday.

The slaughtering of animals, which is a traditional communal ritual, has suddenly become elusive for many Ethiopian Christians.

Samuel Teshome says he is contemplating on what to purchase as the price of sheep has almost doubled since last year.

“The price of sheep has almost doubled and purchasing such delicacies has suddenly become out of reach for me and my family”, Teshome told The Associated Press.

Exploding prices

Many say that has only pushed many entrepreneurs to turn to the black market where fuel sells much more than its value, pushing the prices of essential products to abruptly rise as they observe one of Ethiopia’s most celebrated religious celebrations.

Tefera Aragaw, a minibus taxi driver says that the long wait for fuel at the gas station has meant a disruption of his income and he anticipates a subdued celebration this year.

“We have been waiting for three days, and we spent the nights here. There is also a possibility that we may not be able to get fuel at all”, he said.

With fuel becoming scarce, the Ethiopian government has introduced strict measures, including urging a majority of its public employees to work at home, food price control and prioritizing fuel to essential services although the move seems to have little impact on residents, Sirawdink Admaus says.

“Previously, the highest price of a cock was 1,500 birr, but now it has reached 2,500 birr. It has doubled. The reason they tell you why is that fuel costs to transport them from rural areas to the capital have increased”, Admaus lamented.

Ethiopians follow the Julian calendar, which runs several days later than the Gregorian calendar, used by Catholic and Protestant churches.