Zambia Wake-Up Party (ZAWAPA) President Howard Kunda has urged the Government to import electricity in order to mitigate the impact of the power deficit amid the planned prolonged hours of load shedding.
Power utility Zesco Limited has announced eight-hours of load shedding starting on March 11 owing to the inconsistent rainfall pattern experienced during the 2023/2024 rainy season.
Speaking to Radio Icengelo News in Ndola, Mr. Kunda said the planned long hours of Zesco power load shedding will destroy medium and small scale businesses and impact negatively on the national economy.
The immediate past Muchinga Member of Parliament said the Government should use taxpayers money to subsidise electricity.
“This issue of load shedding will affect us badly as a nation because all the entrepreneurs who have barbershops, hair salons, welding shops will be deprived of eight hours of production. Surely where are we going if entrepreneurs cannot be productive for eight (8) hours? The Government must import power,” Mr. Kunda said.
“During the PF regime we had two hours or four hours of load shedding utmost but now load shedding is starting at 8 hours. We say no to eight hours of load shedding. Let the Government import power using taxpayer’s money, let people’s money work. The tax people pay is not for Government officials to enrich themselves. We want the Government to give service to the people and that service is about importing power to cushion the people of Zambia so that productivity continues. Load shedding will worsen the hunger situation in the country,” he said.
The former Parliamentary Public Accounts committee Chairperson noted that globally Governments provide subsidies to their people.
“Let’s have a heart for the people. Countries all over the world provide subsidies on things like electricity and fuel. Even powerful nations such as America or the UK subsidise things that matter. We are destroying our economy by not having reasonable priced elements in the energy sector. We should not be following IMF requirements blindly. Let’s use local solutions and local resources to better our country,” Mr. Kunda concluded.