We never promised to immediately provide 7-hours electricity – Energy minister
Energy minister Makozo Chikote says the government did not say that Zesco will immediately jump into providing electricity for 7-hours per day to consumers as a basis for approving the emergency tariff hikes.
Featuring on a recent Diamond TV interview, Chikote was asked if the government was not gaslighting citizens who were now paying more from the emergency tariff hike, after they were promised with 7-hours electricity, against his explanation that the move was done in order to help the keep the struggling utility company afloat.
Correctly reminded by Diamond TV journalist Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya that the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) said they were approving the emergency tariff so that Zesco could supply 7-hours of electricity per day, “unless you are not aware of this minister”, Chikote said the ERB was under the “mother body” of Ministry of Energy.
“That’s why I am saying that you see, when we are talking of imports, we are talking of resources,” he said.
Asked if he was aware that ERB made the 7-hour commitment per day, Chikote said: “Well, that is what I am getting from you, because what I know from what we have been exchanging, we had a systematic way of explaining things. We never jumped from four days load shedding then they said we are jumping into 7-hours.”
He said when he featured on Diamond TV last time, he talked about the three hours consistent supply, which would move to 7-hours and would continue moving until reaching 12-hours.
“Isn’t this chaotic minister, that ERB makes a commitment of 7-hours per day and you are not even aware, and citizens are expecting
https://dailyrevelationzambia.com/we-didnt-promise-to-immediately-provide-7-hours-electricity-energy-minister/
Kikikik we are having 7 hours power supply now yet Minister doesn’t know still talking of 3 hrs.
Mr Minister we are already at 7 hrs ZESCO power PLEASE let’s move to 12 hrs NOW!
Coordinate with your ZESCO management it looks like you ain’t on the same page.
Maybe it is only you and your people getting that 7 hours per day.
In other areas, even 2 days is passing without.
Vote wisely in 2026.
Very disappointed in your post crab. Even if its being a praise singer sure? Did you even read this article and understood the gist? We were promised 7hrs but sometimes only have two hours of electricity per day! The minister is defending this and saying the 7hrs will be gradual. Where do you live sir where you have 7hrs daily?
The story was that paying more was going to allow Zesco to import in order to cut the deficit and provide seven hours of power. We agreed to that idea because we would have more power. Now the story sounds like all we wanted was to keep the utility afloat.