ELECTRICITY LOAD SHEDDING WILL COST THE UPND POLITICALLY
ByFrancis Chipili, Business and Political Analyst
WHERE HAS ZAMBIA’S SURPLUS POWER EVAPORATED TO!!
Zambia Electricity Supply Company (ZESCO) was established under the defunct ZIMCO in 1970, with the purpose of construction of electricity infrastructure managing and supplying electricity to residential, industrial as well as other commercial users.
Availability of power – electricity is critical to the social economic advancement of any country.
Electricity is a major component of the means of production for industries and commercial entities.
The availability of electricity in communities has yielded great social economic mobility for enterprising citizens who ventures in metal works such as welding and fabrication. Others have ventured in wood works making doors, cabinets, and other timber products, including timber processing that is utilized in both commercial and residential construction.
Other unemployed but enterprising citizens have ventured into various agricultural production including crop production, chicken rearing etc.
Hair Salons and Barbershops have been a source of employment for many unemployed youths.
All the above economic activities can only be effectively be undertaken , if there is reliable supply of electricity.
Research presentations by many interest groups reveals that load shedding even if it’s done for less than twenty four (24) hours. Any load shedding of four (4) and more hours leads to reduced national productivity, citizen’s hardships and can collapse the economy.
Cuts International, International Growth Center and World Journal of Research and Review are among the many published interests groups that have presented their findings on the social economic impact of load shedding in Zambia, all points to negative social economic impact on both industrial, commercial and residential users of electricity.
The previous administration (Patriotic Front) worked with various stakeholders and ensured that Zambia expanded it’s electricity generation capabilities.
President Hakainde Hichilema is on record of promising the Zambian people that electricity load shedding is the thing of the past — what has changed? Not too long ago Zambia had surplus generated electricity due to the expanded generation capabilities.
Based on what electricity experts have written and advised it’s practically impossible for Zambia to experience load shedding even with the recently experienced erratic rain fall in many parts of the country.
Load shedding will negatively impact both in the short, medium and long term national productivity.
Reduced national productivity will result in higher inflation, high cost of living as well as increased rate of unemployment.
The informal sectors will immediately be negatively impacted as it lacks economic shock absorbers.
Majority of the informal sector players survives on hand to mouth. The informal sector is the lifeline of the majority of the people who have failed to get formal employment.
The UPND administration must realize that any of it’s economic stabilization it has been talking about will be immediately wiped out if electricity load shedding continues.
All post pandemic economic gains will be immediately be wiped out in all sectors of the economy.
Zambia must reevaluate her position on electricity exports to regional markets.
The UPND administration will pay dearly if it doesn’t immediately stop load shedding.
The UPND administration has only a two years window to deliver to the already agitated Zambian people.