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Traditional dancers in action at Parliament grounds
ZAMBIA must enact a law that will prohibit the manufacturing as well as selling and using of paints which contain hazardous substances such as lead to safeguard the lives of children and future generations, Children’s Environmental Health Foundation (CEHF) national lead elimination advisor Michael Musenga has said.
In many countries in the developing world including Zambia, paint that contain high levels of lead is still being sold for decorating houses as well as schools and children’s toys.
Mr Musenga said paint that contains lead additives posed a risk of lead poisoning especially to children aged six years and above and hence the country needed to come up with a piece of legislation to ban such paint.
He said in Livingstone yesterday that childhood lead poisoning could have long life health impacts including learning disabilities, anaemia and disorder in coordinating visual as well as speech and language skills.
Mr Musenga said it was necessary for Zambia to limit or ban the use of lead in paint as the exposure to lead had an impact on public health especially brain damage to children.
“The study conducted by the University of Zambia (UNZA) School of Medicine also revealed that paint manufactured in Zambia contain excessive lead thereby creating a risk to public health.
“Therefore working together with the Government and manufacturers in banning lead in paint will achieve toxic free future by the year 2020. We need to act together to protect the present and future generation,” Mr Musenga said.
From October 23, 2016 to October 29, 2016, Zambia will be hosting the fourth International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPWA).
During this period, CEHF will conduct a number of activities in Livingstone and other parts of the country to foster commitment to act to eliminate lead paint in Zambia.
Universal Mining and Chemical Industries Limited (UMCIL) executive technical director Julius Kaoma (left) flanked by company sales manager Benjamin Belemu (right) during a media briefing in Livingstone. This was at the end of the three-day International Conference on Infrastructure Development and Investment Strategies for Africa
UNIVERSAL Mining and Chemical Industries Limited (UMCIL), a major producer of steel in Zambia operating in Kafue, has called for the boosting of the local manufacturing base to help in strengthening the local currency.
UMCIL executive technical director Julius Kaoma said there was need to boost the local manufacturing base to revamp the domestic economy and ultimately strengthen the Kwacha.
Dr Kaoma said in an interview that Zambia was losing a lot of money to import various products which was in turn adding a lot of pressure to the local currently.
He said steel was the backbone of any industry and that was why UMCIL, which was wholly owned by Zambians, had set up a plant in Kafue to boost the supply of the commodity locally to mitigate on imports.
Dr Kaoma said Zambians stood a greater chance of saving a lot of money if they were producing and consuming local products.
“For any job created in the steel industry, we can about create eight to 10 jobs elsewhere. UMCIL is employing 1,000 people at our plant in Kafue and it has already created 8, 000 people elsewhere. In terms of foreign exchange, we will be saving a lot of money.
“Imagine we are producing 120, 000 tonnes and the cost of one tonne of steel is about US$ 650 per tonne and when you multiply it with 120, 000, that will be a lot of money to impact on the economy and strengthen the Kwacha,” Dr Kaoma said.
He said UMCIL, which has a design capacity is 250, 000 tonnes per year, wanted to produce and promote locally steel products on the market to job opportunities for the local people.
Dr Kaoma said about two per cent of the company’s profits would be going to the community once the plant was fully developed as part of its corporate social responsibility.
And UMCIL sales manager Benjamin Belemu said his firm was committed to supplying quality steel products on the domestic market.
Mr Belemu said it was not true that Zambian products were of inferior quality as claimed by some investors and urged contractors to encourage people to buy local steel products to create jobs.
“Our materials have been used in the construction of hostels at University of Zambia (UNZA), Copperbelt University (CBU) as well as at Kitwe and Ndola Central Hospitals.
“The materials were also used in the construction of stadiums, Mongu Kalabo Bridge, several other bridges, shopping malls, houses, industrial buildings, Kafue Gorge power plant, Chiawa Bridge while negotiations are underway for the materials to be supplied for the Kazungula bridge project,” Mr Belemu said.
FILE: First Lady Dr Christine Kaseba flanked by Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary Bwalya Ng’andu , Chinsali District Commissioner Evaline Kangwa (r) and Mpika District Commissioner Catherine Chileshe on arrival at Chinsali Airstrip for the Teachers/ Community Leaders / Pupils Mentorship Training programme on August
Former Mpika District Commissioner (DC) Catherine Chileshe has been arrested for portraying conduct likely to cause the breach of peace in Mpika district of Muchinga Province.
Muchinga Province Police Commissioner Auxensio Daka, who confirmed the arrest to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS), said Ms. Chileshe has been arrested for conducting herself with four other unknown persons in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace.
Mr. Daka said the former DC was arrested on 29th August 2016 after she threatened to deal with one Joseph Nkamba 40, of Trench Town in Mpika district.
He said Ms. Chileshe was lawfully in custody and was scheduled to appear in the Magistrate court today.
Meanwhile, Mr. Daka said police in Mpika district were investigating a case in which some Patriotic Front cadres allegedly took a coffin covered with a United Party for National Development (UPND) chitenge material.
It is alleged that one Catherine Chileshe led a group of PF cadres carrying a coffin covered in a UPND chitenge to Freemark Shop belonging to Terries Kunda, who is a losing candidate for Mfuwe Constituency.
It if further alleged that the cadres urged Mr. Kunda to leave the district.
Queues of voters at Muljala School polling station in Livingstone yesterday. Picture by BRIAN HATYOKA
A South African good governance institute Afrobarometer has disclosed that its latest report indicates that Zambian’s assessments of elections have improved with half of the population holding a view that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is a credible institution, reports Pan African Radio Journalist Hermit Hachilonde.
In the report unveiled to the media on 06th September, 2016, Afrobarometer Communications Coordinator for Southern Africa Sibusiso Nkomo said that many Zambians are afraid of political violence during elections.
He also said only one-third of Zambians believe that votes are fairly counted while just under two-thirds believe voters make genuine choices for preferred candidates once in a while.
Nkomo said some of the key findings were that 48% of Zambians confessed to have a bit or a lot of confidence in the electoral body adding that among 35 African countries in which the institute conducted an election survey, Zambia ranks below average, a clear indication that some trust in the ECZ has been created from 33% in 2005 to 48% in 2014.
He said 78% of Zambians construed that the September, 2011 elections that ushered in late President Michael Sata and the Patriotic Front (PF) in government were ‘free and fair’ despite some pockets of electoral malpractices recorded.
Nkomo added that 50% of Zambians believe citizens who people the electoral college are on a number of times if not constantly threatened with violence at the polls while 54% are gripped with electoral intimidation or violence revealing that levels of fear in Zambia are lower as compared to Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
“Less than half of Zambians (48%) say they trust the ECZ “somewhat” or “a lot”. Among 35 countries in which this question was asked, Zambia ranks below average. Nonetheless, trust has increased from 33% in 2005 to 48% in 2014”
“More than three-fourths of Zambians (78%) say their September 2011 election (the last national election prior to the 2014 Afrobarometer survey) was “free and fair, but with minor problems” or “completely free and fair”, an improvement from 29% in 2005”
“Half of Zambians (50%) say voters are “sometimes,” “often,” or “always” threatened with violence at the polls, and 54% say they fear election-related intimidation or violence. In the Southern Africa region, Zimbabwe and Mozambique have higher levels of fear than Zambia” he said
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) members marching along the famous Umodzi highway in solidarity with President-Elect Edgar Lungu in Chipata
THE ruling Patriotic Front (PF) in Eastern Province has supported the Constitutional Court for throwing out United Party for National Development(UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema and his vice Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba petition against President-elect Edgar Lungu.
Eastern Province PF Secretary Joseph Kolosa said when he addressed hundreds of supporters carried out march past at Golf course grounds in Chipata yesterday that the August 11th general elections was an eye opener to all Zambians to develop the confidence and trust in the Electoral Commission of Zambia(ECZ).
Mr Kolosa said the UPND petitioned the results without the circumstantial evidence. He said petitioning was a worst of time to the nation which was aiming at denting the image of ECZ.
He said all political players must appreciate with the way ECZ conducted the elections in the country which did not give any political party latitude and space to rig the elections.
“No wonder the late President Sata may his soul rest in peace, never ever petitioned any elections when he lost because he had confidence and trust in the ECZ,”he said.
He said the party in the province was giving solidarity to President-elect Lungu who had shown qualities of a good democratic leader during the tenure of the petition.
He saluted Mr Lungu for his role he played during the petition time. “Speaking on behalf of our hardworking provincial chairman Andrew Lubusha, I am thanking the members of the hardworking committees from the lower organ to top,” he said.
He said it was not easy task to increase the President Elect votes from 89,000 plus which he got during the last year’s presidential by-elections to 300,000 plus in the general elections.
“This is attributed to good leadership at provincial, district, constituency, ward, branch and section levels,” he said.
Mr Kolosa appealed to well meaning PF officials and members to build on and not destroy what has been achieved so that by 2021 there would be no traces of UPND and other opposition political parties in the province.
He said any source of indiscipline, confusion, infighting and acrimony within the ranks and files of the party in the province would not be tolerated.
He explained that those party officials and members scheming to destroy the legacy would be dealt with.
Mr Kolosa asked God to continue guiding the people of Eastern Province and the President-elect for the sake of developments.
Among those who participated in the march past which begun at Shoprite and ended at Golf course includes former Luangeni UNIP Member of Parliament(MP) Besnat Jere, Provincial PF Youth Chairman William Phiri, Provincial mobilisation chairperson Sarah Mbewe Kalaluka, former MMD provincial chairperson Kennedy Zulu and youth vice treasurer Zephaniah Mwale.
the border town was partially brought to a standstill as PF sung songs of praise for the victory in the just-ended general elections.
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) members marching along the famous Umodzi highway in solidarity with President-Elect Edgar Lungu in Chipata
VARIOUS stakeholders in the agriculture sector have proposed that exports of the 2015/16 maize marketing season carry-over stocks should continue alongside the routine verification exercise.
During a stock monitoring committee meeting between industry players and the Ministry of Agriculture recently, the stakeholders said that a quick stock verification exercise should be conducted to give guidance on the current maize marketing season.
This is contained in a Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) weekly brief for last week.
The industry players suggest that there is need for Government to formulate policies that will enhance the potential of large- and medium-scale farmers to consider planting early maturity seed maize variety to maximise the business prospective that has been necessitated by the regional crop deficit.
The southern African region has a deficit of over 7.3 million metric tonnes of maize for the 2016/17 marketing season.
The crop shortfall will help farmers take advantage of deficit markets in the region thereby generating more income to better their livelihood.
“The early maturity seed maize variety, which can be planted under irrigation before the onset of the rainy season will act as a national food security buffer…,” the stakeholders note.
Meanwhile, Southern Africa Ferro Alloys (SAFA) has partnered with Serenje District Farmers’ Association to start making charcoal from maize cob residual.
SAFA which is the leading player in the international ferro alloys industry, has since started buying shelled maize cobs from farmers in the district to help reduce deforestation.
Zesco United face a ghost from their recent past when they host Forest Rangers in the Ndola derby at Levy Mwanawaswa Stadium on Thursday.
Forest is the only side to have beaten the defending FAZ Super Division champions in the league this season following a 1-0 home win at the same venue on May 11.
That victory was also Forest coach Patrick Phiri’s first game in charge but he remains very wary of Zesco despite that win four months ago.
“It will be an uphill battle and we just have to prepare ourselves for a tough match,” Phiri said.
Things got rosy for Forest after that win picking up just two defeats from their subsequent eight games before going into the two-week mid-season break in early July.
However, Forest have failed to continue with that momentum and won just one of their last six games picking up a total of four points since returning from the mid-term recess.
Meanwhile, the game will be the first of two Zesco will play including an away date against Mufulira Blackpool on Sunday before hosting Mamelodi Sundowns on September 17 in the first leg of their CAF Champions League semifinal.
Transparent International Zambia (TIZ) has welcomed the decision by Finland and Sweden to seek for a refund from ZNFU for the alleged misappropriated K34 million.
TIZ Director Goodwell Lungu said there was need for all funding organisations in the country to keep check of funds meant to benefit the people in the country especially the vulnerable.
Mr. Lungu said his organisation was deeply saddened with reports of misappropriation of donor funds.
He has since called for stern action against all perpetrators.
Yesterday, Sweden and Finland resolved to seek for a refund of the K 34 million allegedly misappropriated by the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU).
Embassy of Sweden Deputy Head of Mission David Wiking said although the official process has not yet commenced, the two embassies have legal grounds to reclaim the funds.
Mr. Wiking, who is also Head of Bilateral Development Cooperation, disclosed that his country and Finland will not continue funding ZNFU under the existing agreements with the union.
He said the two countries have taken the bold decision of claiming a refund following the recent two corrective financial reviews carried out by KPMG of Finland.
Mr. Wiking was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday and was flanked by Swedish and Finnish Ambassadors to Zambia, Hendrik Cederin and Timo Olkkonen.
And Mr. Wiking said the embassies of Sweden and Finland will continue to carry out regular and special audits on all its funded projects in Zambia to prevent further misappropriation of funds.
FAZ Super League side Nchanga Rangers have threatened to fire the entire Bruce Mwape led technical bench if it fails to revive the team’s dwindling performance.
Struggling Nchanga are 10th on the 18-team Super League table with 28 points from 25 matches played.
Nchanga Chairperson Yoram Kapai has told The Independent Observer that his executive is not pleased with a string of poor results the Chingola club was currently recording.
Kapai said his executive fears that Nchanga maybe relegated.
“Mwape told us to give him time because he was away and was equally not happy with the way his deputies managed the team in his absence. We didn’t want to harshly judge him; hence we have given him four games out of the remaining eight to redeem himself and his deputies,” Kapai said.
Nchanga revealed that his executive has given Mwape and his technical bench an ultimatum requiring them to pick at least 8 points from their next four matches.
“If he (Mwape) does not deliver eight points from the 12 points expected, then we shall part company with the entire bench. At the moment we are not discussing about the other set of the last four games because if we get eight points from the first set of four then we shall be above relegation zone,” he said.
Nchanga is this Saturday hosting stubborn Nakambala Leopards at Nchanga Stadium in a Week 25 match.
The Zambia Bureau of Standards has seized over 11, 000 by 1 liter containers of Lyons peanut butter from various shops in Lusaka valued at approximately over K357,000.
ZABS Head of Marketing and Public Relations Hazel Zulu said the products have been confined because the laboratory test results received indicated that the peanut butter failed on one critical parameter known as aflatoxins.
Mrs. Zulu has since assured the public that the Bureau will conduct countrywide surveillance inspections and withdraw the product from the market until such a time that the manufacturer is able to demonstrate that the product is compliant with the Zambian Standard, ZS 723 for peanut butter.
FILE: President Edgar Lungu with Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda during his Inauguration Ceremony at Heroes Stadium on January 24,2015 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
By: Hon. Bowman C. Lusambo, MP-Kabushi
Following the re-election of His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, it has now become abundantly clear that the Mr Hakainde Hichilema and Dr Nevers Mumba have become redundant in Zambian politics.
The conduct of the two leaders in the aftermath of the elections leaves much to be desired.
I strongly feel that Dr Mumba’s so called letter to President Lungu is a futile attempt by the fallen Man of God to resuscitate his political fortunes. I believe Dr Mumba and his cohorts in the UPND have no moral authority to lecture President Lungu on constitutionalism and national building.
The purported Open Letter by Dr Mumba only demonstrated the level of pettiness and dislike that Dr Mumba harbours towards President Lungu. The letter was not even worth the paper on which it was written.
The letter depicts Dr Mumba as an excited boy playing with his new toy. The tone and style of Dr Mumba’s letter to President Lungu confirmed that the man is playing with the presidency and I believe that anyone who plays with the constitution of the Republic is playing with the people of Zambia.
Anyone citizen who undermines the constitution does not therefore deserve to be called a Zambian and deserves to be jailed.
My earnest appeal is to Dr Mumba and his team in the UPND to respect the choice that Zambians have made to continue with the proven leadership of President Lungu.
Both Dr Mumba and Mr Hichilema do not have a track record in Zambian politics. They are typical chancers whose luck has now run out. If you attempt to follow the political journeys of the two men who will realise that is not even worthy to discuss.
To start with, Dr Mumba does not have any history in Zambian politics. Until recently, he was just a stranded diplomatic in Canada who was going to be recalled by the Sata administration anyway. Myself, Bowman and my team in the MMD ensured that we installed Dr Mumba as MMD leader.
We worked tirelessly whilst he was still packing his luggage in Canada to make him President. There was nothing he did to earn that position except turning up at the airport and taking up the job. We made the shoes for him, polished them and he only brought his feet to fit the shoes on.
To confirm that Dr Mumba is a political failure who should not be taken seriously, the moment I left I the MMD to join the Patriotic Front, exactly a week after, Dr Mumba’s also lost his position as MMD President.
The same could be said about Mr Hichilema, this is the man who has set a new record of having lost more presidential elections than any other opposition leader in Africa. We believe that Mr Hichilema can make a good student at the Kizza Besigye School of Opposition Politics.
For Mr Hichilema, the man walked into that sham of a National Convention at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre and grabbed the UPND presidency from deserving men such as Sakwiba Sikota and Patrick Chisanga using the tribal tag to replace the late great son of the soil Anderson K. Mazoka.
Mr Hichilema has continued to struggle to win the republican presidency because he did not deserve to be President of the UPND in the first place. He did not even sweat for that seat he currently occupies.
Now compare the political leadership acumen of the two to that of President Lungu. President Lungu has a well-documented life in Zambian politics. From having attempted the Chawama seat and losing to later succeeding in 2011, being appointed Deputy Minister through to various cabinet Minister portfolios, Party Secretary General to winning the Republican Presidency twice.
One can see that through his political journey, President Lungu has seen the hand of God as he has been promoted in an unprecedented manner. It is therefore an abuse of biblical principles for Dr Mumba to attempt to offer hateful prophesies motivated by nothing but petty jealousy.
Mr Hichilema and his UPND were rejected by the majority of Zambian voted on the 11th of August and it is important that this choice is respected. The Zambians themselves saw through the hearts of the UPND leadership and knew that the people were not sincere and genuine.
It is common knowledge that Dr Mumba and Mr Hichilema do not care for the majority of Zambia as history shows that the brief periods they have opportunities to preside over national affairs, they misconducted themselves and only benefited their pockets and close families and associates.
Dr Mumba abused his power as Republican Vice President and he was unceremoniously dismissed. For Mr Hichilema, when Zambians asked him to value their assets during the privatisation exercise, he used the opportunity to amass personal wealth overnight.
My appeal is to both Mr Hichilema and Dr Mumba to allow President Lungu to govern. They should stop disrupting his vision of creating a better Zambia for all. I know that President Lungu wants to get on with business of governing the nation and it will help if Dr Mumba and Mr Hichilema allowed him to do just that.
For now, Dr Mumba and Mr Hichilema should be reminded that their time in Zambian politics is over. What happened on the 11th of August was a clear turning point in Zambian politics.
There is a new breed of politics that have come into the National Assembly and they are now going to work hard for the people of Zambians who will one day demand that some of these new leaders run for the presidency. This in effect means that Dr Mumba and Mr Hichilema have now been condemned to the annals of political history as those that contested numerous times but were rejected by Zambians.
I am now part of a new breed of Zambian politicians who have been given the mandate to protect our democracy and protect our constitution from vultures like Mr Hichilema and Dr Mumba and this, together with the new MPs will shall do.
We somehow sympathise with their plight. We know that to run their lavish campaigns leading up to the 2016 elections, we know that the UPND over borrowed from both local and international groups. They promised a lot of favours to these people ranging from the takeover of ZESCO and some mines and we are aware that these people have started asking the tough questions hence the growing levels of desperation on the part of the UPND. They are now running around court rooms like headless chickens.
As much as we sympathise with their current situation, we also wish to remind Mr Hichilema that we will push for a restart of a comprehensive audit on the role he played in the privatisation of the mine for we believe that he personally benefitted to levels way above what he was entitled to.
Issued
Israeli club Hapoel Raanana have terminated the contract of Zambia winger Fwayo Tembo for undisclosed reasons.
This comes less than a month since Tembo joined Raanana on a ten-month loan deal from Power Dynamos.
Power secretary Ricky Mamfunda has confirmed that Tembo has left the Israeli outfit.
“It’s true he is coming back but we have not been availed details. We will issue statement tomorrow (Wednesday) once all details are in place,” Mamfunda said on Monday night.
Prior to joining Power as a free agent in May this year, the player had left FC Astra of Romania acrimoniously.
Tembo scored 7 seven league goals at Power before trekking to Israel.
He has played for National Assembly, Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel and FC Basel in Switzerland.
You have to get the red wine ready! British reggae and pop band UB40, known for hits like Red Red Wine and Falling in Love With You, will headline the Stanbic Music Festival next month in Lusaka.
The platinum-selling band, with its original line-up of Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue that enjoyed decades of success from 1979 to 2008, will lead an exciting set of local artistes that include JK, Wezi, Pompi, James Sakala, Afunika, Israel and the Cape Town-based Chingola-born violinist Caitlin for the October 7 – 8 festival. “In line with the theme ‘Move with the Rhythm’, Stanbic Bank is holding a two-day festival featuring renowned multi-racial cross-over pop-reggae band UB40 known for their huge hits with multiple top 10 gold and platinum selling and Grammy nominations including four number one’s worldwide and a total of 70 million plus sales,” Stanbic Bank head of marketing and communications Perry Siame announced at a press briefing at their offices in Lusaka on Thursday. “This year, we have cast our nets wide to not only focus on jazz which is a specific genre of music, but to encompass the different music genres that appeal to our customers and patrons following a survey that was conducted after last year’s Stanbic Jazz Festival. “As a listening bank, we take time to understand our customer’s needs and lifestyle, which is part of the reason we have hosted the Stanbic Jazz Festival over the last two years and have presented artistes of international repute such as Hugh Masekela, Oliver Mtukudzi, Mi Casa, Earl Klugh, Zonke and varied local artistes.”
Siame says as part of the Standard Bank Group, which is a big sponsor of arts and culture across the African continent such as the Joy of Jazz in South Africa and other jazz festivals in Malawi and Ghana, Stanbic Bank Zambia is poised to continue positioning the Stanbic Music Festival which is now in its third year as part of the country’s tourist calendar.
At the same briefing, National Arts Council (NAC) director Adrian Chipindi said they are happy to partner with Stanbic to promote the arts through a festival such as the Stanbic Music Festival as it has now been dubbed.
This year, the event will be held at Lusaka Polo Club. Charges for the festival have been pegged at K1000 for VVIP, K750 for VIP and K500 for the standard. Tickets can be bought from Comp-Tickets, all Shoprite stores and all Stanbic Bank branches.
ZESCO Muzuma substation being upgraded to KV 330 (from KV 220) in order to be connected to the national grid as soon as the Maamba coal plant station is commissioned
Few would disagree that Zambia needs to find sustainable, innovative ways of generating more electricity for both domestic and industrial users, and that this is arguably the most urgent task facing the country.
However, what is often less understood is that this energy crunch has a positive side to it, for it shows that the country is developing both economically and socially – that is why it needs the additional electricity.
That’s according to an article posted today on the industry website www.miningforzambia.com.
“It’s no coincidence that Zambia’s electricity consumption started climbing around 2000, when mining investment picked up again, and new investors in the previously nationalised mining industry poured billions of dollars into expanding and modernising the country’s mining base,” the article says.
This wave of investment boosted economic growth, business creation and employment throughout the economy.
“Figures by the World Bank show that from 2000 to 2013, Zambia’s GDP per capita – which measures the average income of the population – grew more than fivefold, from $340 to $1 840 – the biggest and fastest increase in average incomes since independence,” the article says.
Industrial investment and increased production drove energy consumption by industrial users (whose mines and factories are powered by electricity) and kickstarted an economic boom, which led to increasing demand from domestic users too.
The big question now is this: how does Zambia ensure a plentiful, reliable, affordable supply of energy into the future?
The scale of the problem is apparent when one realises how far behind the country has fallen in the task of renewing its energy infrastructure. According to a 2015 report by the World Bank Group, entitled Powering the Zambian Economy, prior to the 360 MW Kariba North Bank Extension that was completed in 2015, the last major plant to be commissioned was the Kariba North Bank in 1977.
The report adds: “Until 2006, Zambia had surplus power, and this partly explains why the history of surplus has also contributed to low tariffs, which have been one of several barriers to investment in the grid and new generation capacity to meet rising demand.”
With the problem posed so emphatically, the answer to Zambia’s energy crisis would seem straightforward – build more power capacity and raise tariffs.
Additional capacity is already on the way. The World Bank report notes there are at least six power plants at various stages of preparation and development, some of which have been in the pipeline for more than a decade.
The issue of tariff increases, however, is less straightforward, because of the potential effect on both domestic and industrial users. If tariffs are set too low, the incentives for investment are reduced; if they are set too high, they put both businesses and households at risk, and compromise the continued economic growth on which both depend.
“Ultimately, the cost of electricity to domestic and industrial consumers in Zambia cannot be divorced from the cost of producing it; the one informs the other,” the article says.
There are many elements to this cost. The electricity has to be generated, then transmitted, distributed and ultimately supplied to customers. These costs are not the same for all users.
It is no doubt with such questions in mind that a Cost of Service Study is being commissioned by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB). The last time such a study was done was in 2006. This new study will, it is hoped, be penetrating and wide-ranging in its analysis, and bold in its conclusions and recommendations as to how Zambia can achieve a sustainable, affordable and reliable electricity supply well into the future.
“In the meantime, Zambia can be proud of the fact that it has actually produced enough economic growth over the past 15 years to make energy supply such as an important issue. Without that growth, we would probably be in surplus now – but would also be a lot poorer as a nation,” the article concludes.
2016 ZMA award winner – DJ Mzenga Man is gearing up to release his latest mixtape – ‘The Big Boss (II)” – He released the hot new single “We Made It Out” that features Zambian hip hop heavyweights – Slapdee, Krytic and Cleo Ice Queen.