Members of Parliament today took to task the Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development Wilbur Simuusa for telling parliament that ZESCO stopped load shedding power in November 2013.
Parliamentarians rose in numbers to state that their respective constituencies are still experiencing power interruptions even during critical times such as when the Zambia Football Team plays Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers matches.
Liuwa Member of Parliament Situmbeko Musokotwane told parliament that his area is among the most affected while Rufunsa MP Kenneth Chipungu said Kaunda Square and Chamber Valley in Lusaka experiences power cuts several times in a day.
Mr Chipungu then asked Mr Simuusa to tell the house if ZESCO was in a crisis.
Contributing to the debate Kabwata MP Given Lubinda also stated that almost all townships in Kabwata constituency faced power cuts despite the assurance that the commissioning of the Kariba North Bank would reduce load shedding.
The Energy Minister however maintained that ZESCO was not in any crisis and that the commissioning of the Kariba North Bank in 2013 had reduced load shedding in all townships.
He explained that power interruption in some townships is not as a result of load shedding but was due to the on-going maintenance works by ZESCO.
The debate arose when Bwacha MP Sydney Mushanga asked the Minister of Mines, the measures being taken to reduce incidences of load-shedding by ZESCO in the residential areas of Kabwe such as Ngungu, Chimanimani and Bwacha.
Meanwhile, government has said it is carrying out assessments in all districts on the possibilities of construction of a filling station in areas that have none.
Energy Minister Wlbur Simuusa told Parliament that government will announce which areas need filling stations after the completion of the assessments.
Mr Simuusa said government is aware that Mwinilunga and other areas in North Western province have no filling station and will consider constructing one depending on the outcome of the assessment.
Contributing to the debate Mwinilung’a West MP Elijah Muchima noted that his area had four filling stations which were now defunct and asked the Minister to find out if government had plans of setting up one.
PF government is intrenching deception ‘Donchi kubeba’ as a morally bankrupt concept in Zambian politics without shame.
Simuusa is right, November 2013 that was when he last experienced ZESCO load shed his area of residence. In PF as long as things are okay with the MP or minister then all is well.
Yet….WE WANT TO EXPORT POWER TO NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES!!!
Myopic thinking.
“Parliamentarians rose in numbers to state that their respective constituencies are still experiencing power interruptions even during critical times such as when the Zambia Football Team plays Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers matches.”
Our opposition is equally bankrupt, how is football important.
Exactly my thought! “…experiencing power interruptions even during critical times such as when the Zambia Football Team plays Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers matches” when I saw critical, I was expecting words such as, ‘when there is a surgical procedure going on’ very low caliber politicians we have in Zambia. And these are guys with PhDs and some are professors. Sad! Cry my beloved Zambia
Mr Nzelu and Chinaman in Zambia football time is more important than meal time or anything indeed. Being load shedded at match hour can get an MP diselected.
Why do these pf fools believe so much in lies? even things we can see with our own eys
Despite having almost all resources ZESCO is making minute progress which cannot match and overtake the current demand of electricity of the country. The working culture at ZESCO is terrible. And the approach to work is dire. That’s what is killing ZESCO and Zambia as a nation. Too, lies from the minister. It is better to keep quite than telling lies. I understand from the minister that ZESCO can just switch off power
when carrying out maintenance without informing the affected customers. ZESCO should pull up the socks and serve the people with due diligence. Zesco has over employed engineers and technologists, therefore should stop giving excuses. I wish MPs can force ZESCO to take care of our needs before exporting excess power.
PEO muching has gone to teach in the remotest area, DRs at UTH offered to operte on 500 patients as jubilee. just learnt that our parents contributed K1s to build UNZA, teachers in chibomba donates money to build a class room block. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO TO MAKE ZAMBIA A BETA PLACE?
I was thinking MPs and zambians wud apreciate ZESCO for reducing load shedding by over 60% compare Loadshedding of 2011 and today’s loadshedding
Who is Agriculture Minister?
Specific details were missing. However, the load shedding has been contained. It has stopped increasing. It has in many areas actually been completely eliminated. To avoid confusion, the technocrats must produce a full picture. The picture must show the graphics of the real situation. The situation has improved tremendously. But there is sustain to keep the momentum.
no wander they are called useless MPs and ministers they just have to lie that’s all they know most of these MPs should go come 2016 a call boy can perform better than some of these MPs Shame
I thought the Minister of Energy is Christopher Yaluma!!! When was he moved or droped? Or Has LT made a mistake? Please advise
The MPs should ask the minister to confirm reports that one Mining Company on CB has banned employees & contractors from using local languages while on the Mine. Only English is allowed. Not Soccer please. In fact to some extent power cuts have reduced. Where I live we used to have outages on Sundays, Wednesdays & Fridays. But now this happens once may be after 3 months. Also MPs must educate people not overload power destructively in their areas.
When I did my Military Service in 1976, Corporal on parade square and bush exercises used to shout at us “USE YOUR INITIATIVE!” We were deliberately given difficult to impossible tasks to teach us how to negotiate around difficult situations. The first month we were hopeless. But we got, ‘onerous with it’ once our creativity kicked in.
in this situation, I would buy my household an ELECTRICAL GENERATOR for those moments of outage. Wake up Zambians! Gov’t bodies can get blips but try what Nigerians do(on this issue only)! I mean missing footie highlights….!
Maybe I am being simplistic, but other citizens in African countries do not sit around moaning and groaning. Generators that use different fuels can help.
I worry sometimes reading Zambian blogs, with very negative comments.
I say this, Zambia is a beautiful country. I (on your behalf too) thank God Almighty for Zambia and that I was born Zambian.
To this day, I always remember to use my initiative, except I am more responsible with it.
True, that is these converters are on sale
What happened to Christopher Yaluma???? Could the squabbles between Petroleum Transporters & ERB have an effect on him if at all LT hasn’t made a mistake?
Why has none of these MPs asked the Minister when we will have a reduction in the price of FUEL!
World oil prices have gone down 25% and our fuel price stays the same?
Which pocket is this extra money going into????