M’MEMBE QUESTIONS HH ON MASDAR 2000MW OF SOLAR ENERGY
….says he is shocked that the Head of State has continued promising of more energy projects when previous ones have not come to fruition
Lusaka… Sunday, September 8, 2024
Socialist Party President Dr. Fred M’membe has asked President Hakainde Hichilema to inform the nation on the progress made regarding the 2000 megawatts of solar energy from United Arab Emirates.
Dr. M’membe says he is shocked that the Head of State has come back from China promising more projects in the energy sector when the previous ones have not been done.
“Last year on the 17th of January, Mr Hichilema posted on his Facebook page that he had clinched a deal with United Arab Emirates state owned company called MASDAR for a US$2 billion investment in the renewable energy to generate solar power of 2000 megawatts. It’s approaching two years now, where is that 2000MW of energy? We had the maximum capacity of about 3000MW, if we had added 2000MW, we would be talking about 5000MW. It would have cushioned us in terms of load-shedding that our people are enduring today, some having electricity for a few minutes in 48 hours,” he said.
“Today our people have difficulties ironing what they have to wear, they have difficulties cooking, they have difficulties storing foods, the deep fridges are no longer working, they have to go to the shops everyday. Even the shops are finding it difficult storing things in the cold room. They have to run generators for close to 24hrs a day. It is a huge challenge and their leaders promised almost two years ago of bringing 2000MW of solar energy for MASDAR over a US$2 billion investment.”
He said this administration is good at making promises but they fail to deliver.
“But today, the same mouth is promising the same things from China. After being in China for a few days, they have clinched other solar energy projects. They are not even telling you what has happened to that MASDAR project of US$2 billion, they were boasting about it,” he added.
“Before Mr Hichilema won the elections in 2021, he had gone to America when he came back he said he had contracted or pledges about US$3 billion investment immediately he wins the elections. We have never seen that US$3 billion investment. Wherever they go, when they come back there are Memorandum of Understanding signed, there deals clinched of big amounts.”
Meanwhile, Dr. M’membe said Zambians are burdened with a lot of taxes confirming the recent adjustments in mobile money transaction charges.
SP Media