Anger is mounting on the Indian Ocean island nation of Comoros over the rising cost of living and the price of staple goods as Ramadan gets underway. The country is also in the midst of an energy and water crisis, which the government has promised to tackle.
At the end of February, the Comoros government announced a series of measures to counter the surge in prices ahead of the month-long Muslim fasting period of Ramadan, which this year falls in March. The population is 98 percent Sunni Muslim.
These measures included tax breaks, a guarantee fund of 6 billion Comorian francs to secure the import of basic necessities, and reinforcing the electricity supply.
The authorities also assured residents that these adjustments would not be limited to the month of Ramadan.
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However, the Consumer Federation of the Comoros says the measures have not been implemented quickly enough, and that the price of oil, sugar, flour and other basic necessities are not regulated enough for a population struggling to cope.
"The measures announced are all well and good, but they are not being implemented," the president of the Federation, Nasra Mohamed Issa, told RFI's correspondent in the capital Moroni.
"Yes, there has been a slight improvement with electricity, but food prices continue to rise. There is still a shortage of water and petrol is becoming a new problem. The population is at the end of its tether," he said.
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Rise in money transfers
RFI spoke to several residents who said they are relying on relatives in the diaspora to send them items from abroad – a trend reflected in the number of money transfers in the lead-up to the religious holiday.
One agency told RFI that transfers increased from 59 to 135 million Comorian francs (from €119,500 to €273,000) between January and February.
In Moroni and elsewhere, residents continue to face power cuts and water shortages despite the installation of new generators.
Mahamoud Salim Hafi, deputy secretary-general of the government, has said the public needs to be patient.
"Regarding water, there are improvements to be made. I am convinced that in some time this water issue will be resolved. We have adjusted certain taxes," he told local media.
"The government has issued a decree fixing the prices agreed between the government and the private sector, on the wholesale side and the retail side."
Added to these difficulties is the quality of fuel, the Consumer Federation said, which is causing cars to break down. It was due to hold a meeting with the Transporters' Union on Thursday to discuss this situation.
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