By Antonio Mwanza Media Director Patriotic Front
Last week Friday, the Minister of Energy Hon Peter KAPALA issued a ministerial statement informing the nation that the country will start experiencing load-shedding of up to 6 hours per day starting 15th December, 2022 due to LOW WATER LEVELS at the Kariba Dam. The minister said the water at Kariba dam will not be sufficient for power generation beyond mid-December 2022.
But ZESCO says there will be no load-shedding in Zambia on account of the said low water levels at the Kariba Dam due to the country’s already existing generation capacity that can provide consistent power to customers. ZESCO Limited Board Chairperson Mr Vickson N’cube on November 2nd, 2022 assured the nation that ZESCO is not worried about the situation because the country no longer relies on Kariba dam alone and has the cushion of of 750MW of power from Kafue Gorge Lower Power Station.
Here are some questions that need honest answers from Government;
- Who is really telling the truth between Zesco Board Chair, N’cube and Minister of Energy, Hon Kapala, looking at the acutely contradictory statements that the two have issued?
- Â What is the real cause of the coming load-shedding; is it the low water levels at Kariba or is it because of the fact that ZESCO is EXPORTING power hence the power deficit we are about to start experiencing?
- Can Government come out clean and tell the nation the truth about how much power ZESCO is exporting, how much money is ZESCO making and what are they using the money for?
Load-shedding will negatively impact businesses, weaken the economy further and worsen poverty levels. It is imprudent and immoral for Government to be starving its own people of electricity (which is a crucial component of production) at the behest of foreigners all because a few individuals in power are minting gold from the deals ZESCO has signed with foreign entities.
Government must stop exporting power before first satisfying the local market. Our people can’t be sacrificing for foreigners and a few individuals making money from power export deals at ZESCO.
Issued
Antonio Mwanza, it’s amazing that you have suddenly realized that it is immoral for government to deny its citizens power because of exports. Where were you when PF did this consistently? The message is good but it is hypocrisy for the message to come from anyone in PF!!! We Zambians do not need hypocrite politicians to speak for us.
The answer is number 2. In addition these guys have accepted to receive GMO maize hence the deliberate delay in delivering FISP inputs.
I told you to stop smoking weed…………
Chamba – come on, conspiracy?
Spaka where I come from people smoke cigarettes not grass like you share it with your cattle in your village. Just wait until your aged uncle starts to feed on yellow maize….of course as paid gun you will defend the yellow maize
Between the politician and the technocrat, I choose the technocrat for truthfulness.
kkkkkk chipantepante kkkkkk total pandamoniom mmmmm kkkkkk yaaaaaba
ANTONIO MWANZA JUST 15 MONTHS AGO YOU COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM OF LOAD SHEDDING. HOW HAVE YOU SUDDENLY COME UP WITH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS? DID YOU EVER QUESTION YOUR MINISTER AND ZESCO CHAIRMAN DURING PF RULE?
There is coming a big reshuffle in government. A number of ministers I’ll be fired.
You are very ignorant. The reason why load shadding reduced is because of the investment PF regime did in the sector through upgrading of various power stations, solar energy and construction of Kafue Lower hydro station.
At that time UPND blindly condemned all this work. But now want to get the credit without any shame.
Load shedding is a covert tool used by the so called cooperating partners to undermine your government. These people supplement your budget and when the correct time comes, strings are pulled to control your decision making process. I am sure load shedding does not exist in our mines because the wealth these mines are generating disappears in thin air. You just have to look at South Africa to understand where our country is going.
Switch off the power to our mines and you will see real investment in our energy sector. This is a game being played to ensure we are poor at all costs.
Government through the number one boss told us boastingly saying in only 10 months in office we have managed to end loadshedding now why his minister is telling us about load shedding for over 6hrs a day, they is same thing GRZ is trying to shield here. better trust a technocrat to a Politian. here things sound like a politian want to out smart technocrats using the powers of politics .
Ask Chimbwili Kashimba to go and urinate in the Kariba Dam all the imiswe residing in his icilufumo chakwe until its filled to the brim generating meggawatts of electricity.
They are both lying, they should just shut the damn hell up if they do not know what they are doing. Anyway, who trusts a red-lipped snake like mambala Kapala? It was just like Derick Chitala who hired his gun to a sikebenga to go and shoot his friend Deam Mung’omba but the bullet landed on Dean’s wife. That’s red-lipped snakes for you, they are “dangerful”.
Our recycled government officials we thought changing of government things will work out