“Be Serious! How can you load-shed Hospitals” Kampyongo questions Energy Minister
…as the new ZESCO schedule G shows that hospitals and Lusaka Water Areas will be loadshedded from 20hrs to 8hrs…..
Lusaka, July 3, 2024 (SMART EAGLES)
Shiwang’andu Member of Parliament Hon. Stephen Kampyongo has questioned why the Minister of Energy has blatantly disregard the presidential directive on electricity supply to critical facilities such as Hospitals and Water Supply Systems companies.
Speaking when he rose of an urgent matter without notice in Parliament this afternoon, Hon. Kampyongo highlighted a recent directive by His Excellency the Republican President that aimed to ensure uninterrupted power supply to all hospitals and other vital institutions.
Kampyongo revealed that despite these clear instructions, a new load-shedding schedule issued on July 1 by ZESCO, the national power utility company, listed hospitals in Group G of Lusaka Province for power cuts from 08:00 to 20:00 hours.
“You can only imagine how that is going to impact our people,” he stated passionately, pointing out the critical danger posed to patients needing urgent medical attention.
The schedule’s inclusion of hospitals sparked outrage, with Hon. Kampyongo criticizing the Minister of Energy and ZESCO for their failure to comply with the President’s mandate.
He described their actions as a severe disregard for the welfare of the citizens and accused them of undermining national directives, which were issued with public safety in mind.
“This is not a joking matter,” Kampyongo declared. “It is inexcusable for the Minister, alongside ZESCO, to defy the presidential directives. Their actions have become a thorn in the flesh for many, including our manufacturing industry, which is also struggling due to power shortages.”
The parliamentary session saw strong support for Kampyongo’s stance, with calls for accountability and immediate rectification of the power supply issues to hospitals and other critical sectors. The laid schedule was a tangible piece of evidence demonstrating the negligence and mismanagement of power resources.
Madam Speaker has since directed the Minister of Energy to present to the House a Ministerial Statement on the matter on Friday.
As the debate continues, the nation watches closely, hoping for swift action to resolve the power supply challenges and restore confidence in the leadership overseeing this vital sector.