HH TURNS TO PRIVATE INVESTORS FOR ENERGY CRISIS SOLUTION
President Hakainde Hichilema (HH) says his administration will remove impediments that prevents private investors in Energy generation and supply.
Zambia is facing a serious energy crisis due to low water levels at the generating point in Lake Kariba which has resulted in 12 hours of power cuts everyday.
Hichilema in opposition had promised that he would fix the energy problem saying the low water level was just an excuse for the then PF administration.
14 months of his presidency, the problem is still there and no solution so far though in May 2022 he had told the Nation that he had fixed the energy power outage problem.
But it now looks the problem is far from being resolved as President Hichilema after a meeting with his Energy Taskforce this afternoon, he is talking of inviting the private sector.
This is what President Hichilema posted on his Facebook this evening monitored by Zambian Eye after their meeting today:
Fellow citizens,
We met with energy sector stakeholders this afternoon to discuss the issues surrounding load shedding, the Kariba Dam, and the water body’s unique problems. We acknowledged the fact that the dam is managed as a common resource owned by two countries and therefore its utilization is a bilateral matter that requires further harmonization.
The challenges of load shedding affords us an opportunity to provide a long term resolution to a matter that has dogged our country for 50 years. We acknowledge these problems and will not shy away from finding lasting solutions.
In the meeting we reiterated our view that independent power producers should come on board and that any law that impedes this process should be dealt with urgently.
We directed that ways be explored to cushion the impact of load shedding on small businesses, the farming community, millers, and ordinary citizens by expediting the process of bringing private power facilities onto the power grid to mitigate the power shortage.
Tomorrow, Sunday 8th January 2023, we will visit Kariba North Bank and Maamba for an on-site inspection, after which we will reconvene on Monday to review progress.
Hakainde Hichilema
President of the Republic of Zambia
