Former UPND aspiring Parliamentary candidate for Mufulira Central Constituency Geoffrey Luchele has warned the New Dawn Government that prolonged load shedding is one of the factors that made the people of Zambia to kick out the PF from power.
“ZESCO will implement a load management regime aimed at rationing power generation at the Kariba Complex to avoid a complete shutdown. This will be done with the view to minimize the impact on key economic sectors as well as preservation of the integrity of generation units at the Kariba Complex. We anticipate that based on the water levels, this will translate into a load management regime starting on 15th December 2022 of up to a maximum of six (6) hours daily until the water levels improve,” Mr. Kapala told Parliament.
He said the UPND should not forget so easily what made people to vote out PF from power and using the same methods PF used to solve electricity problems which never worked.
Mr. Luchele further questioned why Zesco was still exporting power when the nation is facing a deficit.
“UPND should not forget so easily what made people to vote out PF from power and using the same methods PF used to solve electricity problems which never worked, is a very bad sign to me, 23 years in opposition was enough for us to plan for this, and 1 year 3 months to see the implementation,” Mr. Luchele said.
“People understand that fuel increases because of Russia and Ukraine wars but not with load shedding, Zesco should not aim at making prodigious profits at the expense of a common Zambian. If this government is thinking about the lowest common Zambian in Kawama and Zambia compounds, let them reduce on the electricity exportation to Zimbabwe and Namibia or create a stimulating 3 months budget to cushion the problem if water level is the problem at Kariba Dam,” he said.
Mr. Luchele said the Minister of Energy and Zesco Limited must put the interest of Zambians first as they make decisions.
“Common Zambians and small and medium Zambian businesses, understand that the country’s economy is not doing fine. Load shedding will be the easiest way to kill the efforts Zambians are making to survive; I believe this is a very small problem that is not affected by international issues to fail to solve it. The Energy Minister Peter Chibwe Kapala and Zesco should always put the interest of a lowest common Zambian first in making decisions, who voted for change,” Mr. Luchele said.
