Friday, March 29, 2024

Zambia Police ready to deal with possible demos over power failures

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The Zambia Police Service says it is prepared to deal with any possible demonstrations by members of the public over the continued ZESCO power outages the country has been experiencing.

Police Spokesperson Bonny Kapeso told ZANIS in an interview today that Police officers are on alert and taking all necessary measures to ensure that peace is maintained.

He appealed to members of the public to be patient and allow necessary authorities to amicably solve the problem of power failures.

Mr. Kapeso added that resorting to violence would not be in the best interest of public security saying riotous behaviour would compel police officers to react in a way that befits the situation.

And Mr. Kapeso said no arrests were made when Lusaka’s John Laing residents staged a demonstration at ZESCO headquarters this morning to register their anger over continued power failures.

The country has for the past three days been beset with prolonged blackouts raising fears of imminent demonstrations in some parts of the country.

And in Chongwe residents have expressed disappointment at the continued power outage in the district and the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) failure to rectify the problem.

A check by ZANIS in some parts of Chongwe revealed that the district has continued experiencing a power black out and frequent electricity disruptions in the past few days.

Some residents talked to accused ZESCO management of being adamant about their situation.

One of the residents and local business man Albert Simukwaya said the power disruption has resulted in loss of business saying fresh foods like milk and meat products have gone stale.

He said the district has since yesterday experienced a shortage of fresh milk compelling a number of residents to be buying powdered and long life sterilised milk.

Mr. Simukwaya said residents in Chongwe were unable to watch the on going Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nations due to the power crisis that has hit the country over the past few days.

He charged that ZESCO should stop giving what he described as cheap and lame explanations but instead quickly rectify the fault.

Mr Simukwaya has since appealed to Government to quickly intervene in the matter before huge business losses are incurred.

In Mazabuka, residents have called for the resignation of ZESCO top management for plunging the country into total darkness for two days.

The residents who stormed ZANIS offices in Mazabuka today charged that the current ZESCO management has proved to the nation that it is incapable of running the company.

Spokesperson for the group, James Zulu told ZANIS that the darkness that plunged the district last night from 19:28 to 01:00 is a threat to national security.

Mr Zulu said the situation at the district hospital and town centre clinic was threatening because operations were completely paralysed.

The residents have also called on government to seriously intervene and protect people’s lives.

In Mufulira, the standby generator at Ronald Ross General Hospital last night malfunctioned and failed to work after supply to the institution was disrupted following a Zesco power outage that lasted for hours.

Mufulira District Commissioner (DC) Dyford Muulwa has disclosed that this put the lives of 6 newly born babies at risk who were at the time of the black out in incubators.

Mr. Muulwa told ZANIS in an interview at his office today that technicians at the hospital worked through the night until they managed to repair the generator.

He said fortunately enough, no lives were lost at the institution despite the hospital not having power.

Electricity to the border area was only restored this morning at around 03:00am.

In Luanshya residents are up in arms against Zambia Electricity Supply Cooperation (ZESCO) over power outages with some residents calling for the resignation of ZESCO managing director Rhodine Sisala.

In a random survey conducted by ZANIS in most of townships in Luanshya, residents expressed sadness with the current situation were electricity supply goes for over 12 hours without any warning.
A resident of roan township, James N’gwandwe said the power outages were too much adding that people have not experienced this before.

N’gwandwe said ZESCO management should be taken to task for alleged incompetence because the situation is getting out of hand.
Joseph Ponde of Mikomfwa complained that the power outage in the area went around 15:00hours and was only restored this morning after 03 00hours.

He said this resulted in missing the MTN Africa cup of nations that started on Sunday in Ghana.
He said this is also becoming a security risk as theives take advantage of the darkness to break in other people’s homes.
And a Kamirenda township resident, Tobias Mwanza said most of the electrical appliances were at risk with the continuous power outages.

Mwanza appealed to ZESCO management to find a lasting solution to the problem immediately.
Luanshya was also affected on Sunday and yesterday’s black outs when most parts of the country plunged into darkness.

36 COMMENTS

  1. it cant change. zesco needs competitors. without competitors, zesco will continue icreasing tariffs while services get worse. we need a real explanation to this. zambians have the right voice out – but do it peacefully please. no violence. violence wont solve this problem.

  2. IT is okey to demonstrate to air our grievances. Zesco is not a family tree company but our Asset of which all loans they accrue are done through our name(Zambians). This Zesco management is so incompetent that they have stopped planning. It is not too late to bring back Robinson Mwansa in the interim. Robby was a performer and most of the best image Zesco has was built by him. He was just misled by our Kafupi.. We want the best Brains and skills to run our national assets and Sisala is not.

  3. HK (2),
    Potentially the Mwansa you want could be be heading your n-o-k-o’s c-h-i-n-y-o not our national company.Being one of those who worked under M and witnessed the wrath of co-workers who saw his plunder and ashed his farm, i will advise you to realize that Mwansa is better off taking his ARV drugs off ZESCO interests.

  4. We have decent Zambians to pick up from wherever the Sisala team will end their service.If you are Mwansa’s lobbyist drawing from his plundered resources just do your thing truthfully

  5. All in all dream on considering that the MMD Government and the energy board are privy to your your type of trash can based propositions.

  6. ZESCO should look into this problem seriously. Other important institutions like Ronald Ross Hospital must test run their generators long before any crisis occurs. Crisis planning seems to be the order of the day in Zambia. Look at the effects of normal flooding in most parts of the country. Its unbelievable no one seems to look ahead!The country needs to move on in this time and age…………..

  7. Zesco is exporting electricity to Zim and SA at this very momemnt, and but supply is still off, atleast on the CB. The police don’t feel the impact coz they have generators working. Man…!

  8. Come on it waqs fluke.. This team looks useless and anytime Sudan will score. Is this the team Patrick Phiri has been talking about with defender falling all over and midfied allover the place.

  9. Mwinsho ba shisala mwafilwa inchito,fumeniko pa chipuna cha zesco na fwebo twikalepo,natota ninebo musopa kuno ku USA

  10. What is wrong wth the stupid police service in zed?Banshakwata mano yaba mwifufi.Every time there is planned demos there is police threats even when there is no evidence of plans to destroy properties and bleach of public peace.Do police want pipo to start behaving like in other countries were they take the law in their hands?Pipo dont jst demonstrate for no reasons and it is the same police who will face alot of criminals coz of blackouts.The police has to be impertial, not crued and mindless

  11. May someone explain to me why we have sudden power failures across Southern Africa, Zimbambwe, South Africa and Zambia have exprienced power failures in the last few days, Ghana too yestarday. On BBC the power failures were blamed on Mugabe, nothing was mention on Zambia or South Africa except today when 30 tourists were stranded in a Lift in South Africa for hours as a result of a power cut. South African cities have been loadshading.

  12. Zesco should check on the security of their computer systems.Some hacker somewhere is playing with you. This is nothing concerning loadshedding.It is also happening in Europe. It happened in the US and Canada last year.

  13. Mushota #22, I agree with you that power outage happens in Europe and that it happened in US and Canada. Probably you will agree with me that the extent is by far less than the occurrence of it in Zambia. This situation poses a challenge to us Zambian and our leaders in particular. How prepared our we for such events. This will not be the last. In terms of preparedness, US, Canada and Europe are by far well ahead Zambia. These parastatals including ZNBC need to be commercialised.

  14. Time and again police should be reminded that they should learn to distinguish between peaceful demos and rioting. Peaceful demos are meany to express misgivings in this case, the poor service being offered for the amount of money paid. Whether ZESCO, ZAMTEL, CELTEL, etc should not be earning where they did not provide that service, that is theft. Do not treat these issues as political. We deserve a better service for our money.

  15. SCISSORS (SISALA) ARE AN ***** WHAT HAS THE PIPO OF KAUNDA SQUARE DONE THAT YOU SWITCH OFF ELECTRICITY EVERY MORNING WHEN OTHER AREAS LIKE CHAINAMA NEXT DOOR STILL GOT POWER THROUGHOUT EXCEPT WHEN THE WHOLE NATION WENT POWERLESS. FROM MONDAY TO NOW ELECTRICITY IS SWITCH AT 10HRS UNTIL 01 HRS ON SELECTED AREAS.

  16. Retireee #4.respect your self. we are not intrested in your insults.Clean up your stinking mind. if Mwansa hasnt given you your benefits,,dont bring it out on the poor H.K who’s simply airing his Grievances..

    Wash your mind and watch your tongue or should i say fingers.

  17. Chi Retiree #4 Do not insult just debate with respect. I think you are a Ngwangwazi and the best place for people with your mentality is the bus station or Soweto. Go to HELL with your insults we mbwawe

  18. #22, 23, 24, etc you are right this what they call cyber war as Luthoians or Malta they will agree with you. They had there systems done for one month.

  19. Chi Retiree #4 why are you trying to offend everyone with your cheap mind but full of insults? I think the best is to ignore the bastard so that he feels out of place. I didnt know we have such senseless people around.

  20. Retiree #4, just appologise. This is a forum where people should think with brains not otherwise. Tepa taxi rank iyooo!!!

  21. ** Concerned naiwe ikalafye! Have you ever looked at other debates other than the lousy zedian ones, try and learn from other countries what it means by freedom of speech, let us call a spade a spade , if people here dont learn to stand up for their rights shit will never cease to happen in zed.

  22. Don’t threaten pipo, give them a real solution. I think it’s high time they faced the facts, a mod is a mod and an angry one with a cause is something different.

  23. zesco had not at any one time delivered any services,the minute services we get are not as a result of zesco’s operation but the old system which was established long time ago.No tangible improvements so far has been felt,due to the fact that its a company in which 85% of the employees got there jobs through relatives,hence has ended up recruiting the worst of its kind in term of personel.The so called engineers,if at all they are any are the worst of a kind because they sit in idleness forgetting that engineering is a practice,they are brains with forgotten facts,cant no longer apply what they learnt.When it comes to civil they rely on technicians with engineers responsibility hell No

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