Mwinilunga Soccer fans were yesterday treated to a rude shock when the ZESCO thermal propelled generator went off , plunging the whole district in darkness.
The sad ordeal happened minutes after the Zambia and Tunisia match kicked off after half time.
The district was in total darkness for over 40 minutes before power was restored by ZESCO.
Meanwhile, police used tear- gas canisters to displace angry soccer fans who wanted to riot in protest against the power blackout.
The angry fans who were watching the match from the council rest house , resolved to follow the ZESCO manager at his resident to register their displeasure over the power blackout, but quick action by police displaced the angry fans.
And one of the soccer fans who stormed ZANIS offices this morning Katizi Chinganbu wondered why the ZESCO manager opted to be home instead of being at the plant monitoring the machine.
Mr. Chingambu said government and the corporate world played their part by ensuring that the matches are televised on ZNBC so as to allow soccer fans to watch the match.
He wondered how the soccer fans in Mwinilunga will manage to support the national team with the negligence exhibited by ZESCO.
Mr. Chingambu said soccer have the potential to cause serious damages, if ZESCO will continue denying power to the residents during critical matches involving the Zambia National Soccer Team.
Meanwhile maize loaders in Mwinilunga district have called on the Food Reserve Agency FRA to pay them their dues.
Speaking on behalf of the maize loaders, Charles Kajimbala complained that FRA has not paid them their dues.
He said loaders were depending on the money from FRA to pay for their school going children.
ZANIS
Not only during football matches but this black-out shouldn’t be allowed to happen at anytime.
Its unfortunate that my home town still relays on an old diesel generator power power supply. What those fanas protesting power blackout should not be heaped on Zesco resiident engineer. Alot has to do with local polticians. There is an investor who is supposed to put up a hydro power plant on West Lunga river but what is coming out of the mouths of politicians and some chiefs is total killing development. The best the population of Mwinilunga can push for is unblocking obstacles on the project implementation by the stakeholders. The aspect of watching soccer on TV is a small issue but uninterupted supply of power is sure way of attracting would be investors. MPs Katuuka S, Muchima EJ & DC Samakesa Webby should be made to shade more light on the delay on the power project implementation
Zesco will always be Zesco especially under a government without a vision. Their priority as far as power supply is concerned is South Africa.