DECLARE LOAD SHEDDING A NATIONAL DISASTER – KALABA

Presidential Address to Parliament. CF Press Release.

As President Hichilema addresses Parliament this Friday, Citizens First under the able leadership of President Harry Kalaba is asking the President to take this opportunity to declare the power deficit in the country as a NATIONAL DISASTER.

The President should also inform Parliament of the need to channel all CDF funds including money still sitting idle in banks into procuring affordable solar energies which should be made available to all households. They must also think of Wind as another good alternative source of energy and invest in it by using the CDF and other funds.

This UPND government must take the current energy crisis in this country as a disaster and a very serious matter that needs leaders to make radical decisions to mitigate it.

In the next two weeks or so at end of this month, we are expecting the minister of finance to present the 2025 National Budget. We do not expect any growth in the economy with a 3 hour supply of electricity. If no radical measures are taken to mitigate this Crisis now, the minister should not even go to Parliament to present an ambitious budget that will not even be achieved.

Currently the alternative sources of energy have proved to be expensive in Zambia. No ordinary citizen can afford installing solar energy at current market price even if government is able to offer loans to civil servants through the public service micro finances. This is the reason government must come in and make solar panels available by importing them and subsidizing them as well.

This UPND government has also refused to subsidize fuel so that small businesses using Gensets can survive. This same government has also refused to stop exporting power due to the energy crisis we are experiencing as a nation. We would like to know who signed these power agreements and details of Exit Clauses
Must be made available for us to know in whose interest this was signed. There is no contract that does not talk about exit or termination of contract unless it’s a bad contract. Government must show leadership here and go back to discuss on saving the interest of our nation.

The UPND government must respond and act on our advise above to enable this nation come out of this energy crisis. The President must not go to Parliament to entertain the nation or castigate the previous regime but instead offer Solutions with the many challenges this nation is facing including the high cost of living which this government has failed to address. He must avoid talking about MOUs he signed in China. We want solutions now and not promises or good speeches.

From the time we got into this energy crisis, this government has not shown any seriousness in dealing with this problem apart from hopeless statements citizens receive from them through Zesco. We must learn to attend to emergencies as they arise and come out strong.

Zambia needs a radical leader like President Kalaba who is able to make decisions that will benefit citizens and not foreigners. Together we can come out of this crisis and develop our nation. Government is advised to listen to advise even from us the opposition and many other stake holders.

Issued by;
Frank Sichone
Citizens First Spokesperson
UKA Member
10th September, 2024