ZESCO LOAD SHEDDING NEEDS REVISION
The government, through ZESCO, has informed the nation of the load shedding schedule, which will begin with 8 hours per day. We are all aware of the reasons why we are faced with these challenges as a nation. However, it would be better if ZESCO could start with 4 hours of load shedding initially and provide citizens with advance notice of schedule adjustments, gradually increasing the duration. This would allow citizens to prepare alternative solutions for their survival.
My concern is that if we start with 8 hours, by the end of the year, we will experience full-day load shedding, negatively impacting all businesses, especially small ones, and adversely affecting our nation’s economy. Additionally, increasing the duration without a strategic approach will lead to more charcoal burning across the country, further disrupting rainfall patterns and causing endless droughts.
Following the drought we faced, some farmers may resort to using electricity for various alternative farming methods to grow food. If this schedule is not carefully considered, it may have a significant impact.
Furthermore, the government, through ZESCO, should announce tax exemptions on all irrigation and solar systems so that citizens can afford alternative energy sources.
SIKAILE C SIKAILE
My advise to UPND is that 2024 is a year when people will make their opinion an d decide what to do in 2026, whatever will be done in 2025 will not be taken seriously by the voters because they will consider it as campaign. And in 2026 they will go with what they decided in 2024.
1. Furthermore, the government, through ZESCO, should announce tax exemptions on all irrigation and solar systems so that citizens can afford alternative energy sources.
How bwana? Zesco does not regulate energy ERB. Taxes are enforced by ZRA but the owner of the taxes and the person/that grants exmption is the Ministry of Finance or the Minister…hence the Budget. And it too has its own consequences.
2. There are extenuating circimstances that led to Zesco making a grave decision as this. I repeat grave. Frequency has made some of these decisions light but this is a grave decision. I personally feel the Minister or Zesco MD or Chairman should have come on tv radio to full give the picture of what is going om at Zesco. But I dont blame them. When they do we have lumpens that politicise the issue without giving tangible options.
I listen to HH speak of head room. And understand that given the financial mess that pF left in most instutions even Reserves were cleaned out, as this is the season when Reserves could have come in handy.
3. Last year we saw Zesco seek a tariff increase. This would have made the operation of Zesco some what sustainable. Remember we have been borrowing to refurbish oour power stations. A situation that has led Eskom to have major loadsheding, but theirs is also coupled by mass corruption. But this means there little money left to pay daily expenses(payroll, fuel and maintaince of the Zesco grid (poles conductors etc) and not the power stations(as they have to financed by debt when you dont provide cause again there is little head space cause of tariffs).
To pay the loans I speculate that they export the little power that they are able to generate, remmeber these are nkongoles MMD PF left and monies were misapplied.
You suggest 4hours. This would mean buying power from somewhere. Until last year, we were still paying off debt accured from the ships that were docked on the Mozambique coast that were generating power. Do we have head space to do that? I doubt. For a long time we have lived on debt and now suffer for the recklessness of short term satisifaction.
Something we the public dont know or understand but maybe once this debt issue is resolved once and for all, that head space will allow Zambia to deal with its nkonolges, and have some head space to address some one these reprives you suggest. But its all political now. Those that hold our debt have played games for leverage in some of the resources we have. Or maybe are not happy with the current regime because they are not playing “hookie” with them as the last who literary sold the country and its resources. If frustrated, the current regime loses elections and they go back to dealing with the “same old same old” planders. You as citizens may only kicking the problem down the road (so to say), which is when it does come back will be so drastic the current myrid of problems will look amd feel like kids play.
So bane lets whether the tide….the least we can ask is a full picture of how bad things are, for us to understand what government is dealing with. What I dont accept is the price increase that DSTV subjects us to even when the exchange rate comes down. The Public Broadcaster needs to detach themselves from DSTV as public information decermination is at the mercy of an outside entity and that can be dangerous when citizens need to know and understand what is going on….by that again is another vicious cycle that I doubt if bwana Thabo even understood…..