Zambia is at its darkest economic hour with absolutely no hope for ordinary people under President Hichilema- Mundubile

WATER SHORTAGES WILL BREED DISEASES AND POVERTY, MUNDUBILE WARNS

14th May 2024

ZAMBIANS should brace themselves for harder times ahead following the announcement by the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWS) that it has started rationing water supply in the capital due to load shedding, PF Parliament Chief Whip Brian Mundubile has warned.

And Mundubile says he is shocked that Zesco’s Managing Director Victor Mapani can go on holiday when the power utility company was facing huge problems of power deficit.

He said the increasing problems from electricity deficit was worrying but what is more strange is to see Mapani going on leave at a time when his leadership was needed to traverse the problem the country is faced with.

Mundubile observes lack of seriousness in boss the UPND government and Zesco in the manner it is handling the challenges the country is facing.

“Am shocked that the ZESCO chief executive has gone on annual leave at a time the country is experiencing the worst drought in 60 years,” he said.

He said President Hichilema has failed and his failure will plunge the country into default settings.

“The mounting crises from electricity, expensive mealie, high fuel prices is testimony, if anyone was in doubt that President Hakainde Hichilema has failed lamentably to government the country, even in the face of climate change.

“As is this is not enough Victor Mapani the embattled ZESCO boss goes on leave in the middle of a crisis,”

“it is like a fireman deciding to take a lunch break when the house is on fire or the army commander deciding to take a siesta in the middle of a war.”

“It is criminal if it is true Victor has gone on leave then he ha s failed to put out the fire at ZESCO and like ERB, Victor and his board Chairperson must be sacked or resign honourably. You can’t go on leave in the middle of a crisis, not in Zambia not anywhere on earth.”

Amidst rising calls for the firing of Mapani from various circles, the embattled ZESCO boss has not been seen at the office since the power cuts escalated country wide paving way to speculation that he has been fired but this has been refuted by the ZESCO board that says Mapani “has gone on annual leave” at a time of ZESCO´s darkest hour.

This is the time Zambians must rally together and use their democratic right to protest beyond the booing of President Hichilema that occurred on Sunday at Heroes stadium in Lusaka.

“Zambia is at its darkest economic hour with absolutely no hope for ordinary people under President Hichilema,”

“how will we explain this misery of load shedding, water rationing and high prices of food?”.

Making a ´climate change´ excuse will not hold water because President Hichilema promised to work around climate change using his economic prowess the way Dubai has done in recorded viral clips.

He said a deeper explanation has to be given as to the absence of Mapani at ZESCO at the peak of a power crisis, something that would have not happened under President Edgar Lungu.

“The announcement by the water company regarding water rationing in Lusaka due to load shedding makes extremely sad reading because it will mean increased poverty and possible death of innocent Zambians as diarrhoea dieses threaten to kick in and rise as people turn to drink or use dirty water,”

Am reacting to a statement by the water company which on Monday said ´water shedding´ would start immediately, to be synchronised to the ZESCO power cut schedule.

“The poverty cocktail we are in now will cripple many,”

“you are talking load shedding of beyond 10 hours, now water rationing, expensive mealie meal in short supply and high fuel prices…few Zambians will survive this even among the toughest.”