ZESCO SHOULD ADHERE TO THE LOAD SHEDDING SCHEDULE
Dear editor,
ZESCO should adhere to the twelve hour load shedding schedule as announced by the power utility firm.
It is disgusting that Zesco is not following the load management time table of twelve hours.
Zesco has in the recent past been load shedding areas between eighteen and twenty hours. The twelve hour load shedding is just on paper. The power utility firm is subjecting its customers to prolonged periods of load shedding. This is not fair.
The unbearable period of load shedding has adversely affected most business enterprises which depend on the availability of electricity. Barbing, saloons, butcheries, welding and metal fabrications are some of the businesses that have been affected.
When there is loss of business due to prolonged load shedding, there is a corresponding loss of income. Ultimately, this will
Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda
worsen the high poverty levels Zambia is grappling with.
However, it is unfortunate that President Hakainde Hichilema during his last presser at State House didn't give a clear roadmap on how the New Dawn administration hopes to address the acute power crisis the country is experiencing.
President Hichilema focused so much on former President Edgar Lungu and Honourable Emmanuel Banda, the independent Petauke Central legislator instead of talking on things that matter a lot to the country. President Hichilema went to an extent of calling Honourable Banda a thug for an offence the latter is alleged to have committed eight years ago
People expected that President Hichilema would tell the nation on how the United Party for National Development ( UPND) government will tackle the high poverty levels and the prolonged load shedding currently prevailing in the country.
Truth be said, the recently held presser by President Hichilema is another missed opportunity considering the fact that he didn't stress on the critical issues affecting the country such as the energy crisis and the ever rising cost of living, among others.
It is a well known fact that Zambia has running contracts of exporting electricity to the neighbouring countries like Botswana, Congo Democratic Republic and Namibia, among others. The running contracts of exporting electricity to the neighbouring countries can be terminated in order to satisfy the local demand.
President Hichilema when he was in the opposition had the solution to the load shedding challenge. Let President Hichilema find the lasting solution to the power crisis the country is currently grappling with. President Hichilema was critical to the previous Patriotic Front ( PF) regime on load shedding.
In conclusion, Zesco should stick to the twelve hour load shedding instead of load shedding areas for twenty hours as the case is at the moment.