ZESCO Board Chairperson Vickson Ncube has taken the blame for the loadshedding that the country is currently faced with.
Mr Ncube stated that if he had looked at the flow of the waters he would have been able to anticipate that when the country hits a certain time, the water levels will not be able to generate electricity to full capacity, adding that he would have also looked for solutions in the neighbouring countries with power as this would have enabled him to mobilise solutions to the potential problem.
“With Loadshedding there’s a failure on the natural part and the human part, on the natural part I can’t explain it, I will just mention that our hydrology is poor, our water reservoirs are also poor, no matter what we do, we have no control over the natural part, and on the human part we should have anticipated on that because in leadership theres anticipation of a problem so that when it comes, you are ready to face it, so, to that extent I shall take responsibility by stating that we failed the nation as ZESCO and as Board Chairman I take the full responsibility, I should have been better informed, and aware by measuring my hydrologies, looked at the projection and see at what point, we are going to hit a crisis, and I should have started fining for inteverning measures so that by the time the crisis comes, am ready to meet it and I wasn’t,” he explained
In responding as to whether he misinformed the President who assured that load shedding is the thing of the past, Mr Ncube admitted to have misinformed the Head of State because if he had given him correct information, the President wouldn’t have made such a statement, adding that the President does not seat at ZESCO everyday, neither does he seat on the ZESCO Board, but he rather gets information through ZESCO and if they give him information and he then uses the same information to inform the nation, then as ZESCO they must take the blame.
“The problem then comes in sometimes when you become arithmetical and not practical, you look at your generation capacity, I look at all our electricity generation stations, Kariba with 1080 megawatts, Kafue Gorge ABOUT 900 megawatts, Kafue Gorge lower with now seating at 600 megawatts, Itezhitezhi seating at 120 megawatts, Maamba with 300 megawatts and many other smaller power stations, and I look at my maximum demand of 2200 megawatts from 3400 megawatts, but am not looking at the underlying factors that will affect the generation, am just looking at the demand versus the capacity but when the circumstances in the generation change, I am blind sided, so that is where the problem comes in,” he disclosed
He further disclosed that there is a bigger problem that might be faced if eversive measures are not taken right now, explaining that if any of the machines sucks water combined with air they will be messed up, and this will that the situation can only be corrected in about 18 months which will be dependant on the damage caused, as a power utility company putting in place immediate measures, four machines where shut down and only remained with two operating even though the two machines are not operating to full capacity, where instead of generating about 180 megawatts, they all generating about 125 megawatts.
He admitted that the Patriotic Front – PF curbed load shedding completely but it has come back because of the mismanagement plus nature (low water levels at Kariba Dam) and he has apologized for this.
The ZESCO Board Chairperson, noted that the power utility company still exports power to neighboring countries because they want to cushion a huge debt which is now amounting to US$3.3 billion.
Mr Ncube has since assured the nation that load shedding is likely to end in March if things are put in place accordingly.
Then as a responsible person you should have also tendered in your resignation as board chairman.
This guy has been forced to make this statement and thrown under the bus as HH & his regime came under pressure. The lies and contradicting statements became too much from everyone including the president.
@Razor you’re very right. The man is playing to the gallery knowing very well that he has a very powerful silent gen-set at the back of his house for immediate backup, whilst leaving the mutendere barber man shocked and broke.
The Boss needs somebody to do the dirty work for them and look bad and make the boss look good. They call such people the FAll guy and this is what Mr Ncube is doing to see see another month pay check in the account. As Zambians we are not stupid, we know who is really responsible for this and if it was this guy , he would have been gone in December
You are fired!
HH said I have ended load shedding. He did not mention you so do not sacrifice the board for HH’s ego. Also we are not buying the water level story. We are buying the exporting story because we are not experiencing any drought. Did you also misinform the president about the leaking Kariba?
Ba board chairman this is not ukraine and LT please improve your site be creative imwe sure you’re as backwards as a tail wtf
He is the first of HH’s adminstration to take blame. They never do. Lets give him some kudos for that. Viva Ncube!
On more five years.
What is this? We’re not children. Enough said
What is this? We’re not children…. only if you are fired will I believe what you have said.
UPND administration caught sleeping at the wheel.
This is nothing compared to what’s next!
GRZ what is going on?
GRZ vs political parties.
Who is he to take responsiblity he does not make the excutive disscusions that is the responsiblity of the CEO…why doesnt he step down if he is serious!!
Just resign mappet.
A few days ago someone stated that they want to sell ZESCO for peanuts…I responded that with the debt it has you will get peanuts if the buyer deducts the debt which is approximately $3.5 Billion. People need to given a breakdown of this debt and action taken so such recklessness like during PF is avoided in the future.
In simple terms, the CEO is the top senior executive over management, while the board chairperson is the head of the board of directors. The CEO is the top decision-maker for the company and the person who oversees the daily operations and logistics.
This Vickson Ncube is taking us for foooools…I bet you he got allowances to answer questions
Parneeyo panu bonse!
Says the man who was responsible for unprecedented massacre of Zambians and has never been held responsible. Blood on your hands you can never wash off, Kaizar.
Murderer Zulu
Chipante Pante Government…very incompetent and we have a President who is micromanaging everything
How does the current load shedding help fix the economy?
Zambians now being taken for a ride…. taking the blame for what…Just resign….UPND is full nincompoomps…..the rot starts from the head
@Grant Kolala… this is stage managed therefore he can neither resign or get fired. These people have no sense of shame.
No No No No, there are no issues of resignation here. Pipe down, in civilised societies when one offers an apology it ought to be appreciated. Agreeing with prevailing circumstances in tandem with public concerns. Recipients of apologies with remorse need to reciprocate with civility. Uncivilised comments demonstrate backwardness in the environment i live.
In the Western world, ZESCO would pay heavy compensations for losses caused by loadshedding. His apologies mean nothing, he needs to resign especially that the businesses are losing capacity to generate income due to lack power. BTW, he didn’t mislead politicians- this problem has been longstanding.
You are even smiling sure, this youth of Zambia awe mwee
These are the people who fought to be in power for 23 years just to come and fail to run the country.
And you’d do a better job?? Dream on!!
At least someone is taking responsibility now. During the entire 10yr PF era everything got rotten badly and nobody took responsibility.
That’s what they want you to believe.. the senior waiter apologising for the poor quality food whilst the Chef is smoking and hiding in his office.
We had 10yrs of PF corruption,misrule ,cholera epidemic,free falling economy,load shedding ,massive debt build up and a famous debt default but NOBODY RESIGNED .
Contemplate and ponder on that for better perspective.
Stop comparing with practices of a party that was voted out of power, we now expect and demand better accountable leadership
This is anothe Zimbabwean who wants Zambia to fail as is his home country. Fire this bagger! He is even not talking producing alternative electricity sources but instead discouraging solar and talking of Importing Electricity-Import from who? cos no one has surplus electricity in the SOurthern region, we were the only ones!
It’s the constitution that determines citizenship and not people from some tribes no matter how high their sense of entitlement in Zambia. Vickson Ncube is a Zambian, was born in Zambia, educated in Zambia, has been working and paying taxes in Zambia. Where’s your patriotism if u could loot Zambia’s resources after being entrusted with power?
This moron and his CEO should resign
IMF are you reading this?
“He admitted that the Patriotic Front – PF curbed load shedding completely but it has come back because of the mismanagement plus nature (low water levels at Kariba Dam) and he has apologized for this”
HE DID NOT SAY THIS. LUSAKA TIMES AS USUAL TRYING TO SPIN THIS IN FAVOUR OF THE PF”
Watch the video praise Singer
Mmmm. Things are not looking good. We have started having FALL GUYS now. KK had them and he continued for 27 years. The hiring offiv=cer should take responsibility. Everyone appointed by the President is the President and what they do, they do in the name of the appointing authority. HH should fire him- no should have fired him, the PS energy as well as the minister. ALL masti go.
This man must get rid of his expensive imported generators round his house. In fact Ncube and UNDP elite still enjoy 24 hour electricity. The do not feel the same sufferings that common Zambians are enduring.
Thank you for acknowledging your failure but the best thing to do is please resign. You thought ZESCO was your farm when you fared all technocrats when you came in office and started implying UPND Cadres who are not qualified and please dance to the songs they have created for you.
Appointing fellow tribesmen and relatives. They will always tell you what they think you want to hear.
He is taking power to Zimbabwe where he comes from.lol
Don’t be cheap, how can an individual have such powers. 3 billion dollars would have built 2 hydro power dams and 20 solar farm now half of the loans are in PF pockets.
Thank you for acknowledging your failure but the best thing to do is please resign. You thought ZESCO was your farm when you fared all technocrats when you came into office and started employing UPND Cadres who are not qualified and please dance to the songs they have created for you.
I had my personal worries about Vickson Ncube when he started interfering in what I thought were management issues. He was overshadowing the corporation’s chief executive by speaking to the press on purely operational issues.
“I shall take responsibility by stating that we failed the nation as ZESCO and as Board Chairman I take the full responsibility” this statement is usually followed by I resign in the interest of the nation
At least good progress, others will say it, let us wait
Praise singes cant get sense out of what citizens are hammering. Businesses have cramped down due to shedding but low thinking characters continue praising unreasonably and bring in pf. Zambia is for all.Let the be fired cos he is exporting more to his country Zimbabwe. SHAME
He is not fit for the job , he admits it so fire him- Simple
this dude is responsible for this ongoing economic turmoil. Tigona njala because of this guy.