Some views on current load shedding

January 8th 2023.

Information Source: Clarence Moonde Muzyamba-ZEHEST Executive Director

With only 8 days in the new year 2023,ZESCO has introduced 12 hours of loadshedding which is being implemented since 1st January,2023.

According to Government,this is happening because water levels have gone down at KARIBA dam where power is generated.

People have reacted differently.

The new dawn , whilst in opposition then,did promise that once they are voted into office,they will end loadshedding, infact they actually said "Loadshedding will be a thing of the past. Are we in the past?is the question many Zambians are asking.

As Zambian Empowerment hub for Entrepreneurship and Skills training (ZEHEST)and as Entrepreneurs, ours is to find and provide solutions. So we took to the streets of Lusaka and visited a number of communities to check on how people but more so small medium enterprises (SME,s) have been affected by this Loadshedding. What we found is a sorry sight as we found block makers,saloon and barbershop owners, metal fabricators, bars/shop owners all just idling instead of working due to loadsheading.

Shop owners complained that their foodstuffs are going to waste while bar owners said their beers are not getting cold resulting in low business.

In offices and internet cafes,people can't work because Laptops and phones are always off due to loadshedding.

Honestly speaking,12 hours of loadshedding for a country like ours which uses power to produce many goods and services is unproductive.

This is why we are saying this is a risk to the growth of our economy.

Business is not happening because of loadshedding as people can't even transact on mobile money and they can't even make phone calls because their phones are off.

As a think tank organization,we have been challenged by this unfortunate predicament we have found ourselves in as a country and we have joined others who are thinking and seeking other immediate energy alternatives and solutions we can turn to.

No doubt our dependability on hydro power has landed us into this situation.

We strongly urge Government to quickly invest in other energy sources such as solar to cushion this unproductive and economy threatening loadshedding.

Be part of the solution today.

The truth is we can't have a healthy economy with this current 12 hours of loadshedding.

We therefore take this opportunity to invite all SOLAR companies both local and international to get in touch with us so that we advertise and market for them during this time of loadshedding.

ZEHEST is a think tank, non_governmental organization working around Entrepreneurship, Environment, Governance and Empowerment programs, policies and projects.

Comments

Zambia's 2026 General Elections and Environmental Protection- February 6th 2026.

By Raphael Banda Zambia’s 2026 Elections Must Put the Environment First. As Zambia moves steadily toward the 2026 General Elections, one issue deserves far greater attention from both political leaders and voters: environmental protection. Zambia’s democracy has matured through peaceful transitions and regular elections every five years. Yet elections should not only be about political competition they must also be moments for serious national reflection on long-term development. With campaigns building toward August 13, 2026, environmental sustainability and climate-smart agriculture should feature prominently in party manifestos and public debates. Environmental protection is not a fringe concern. It lies at the heart of national prosperity. Protecting forests, promoting conservation agriculture, and ...

Global warming has exceeded 1.5C , a threat to food security and Biodiversity.

By Raphael Banda (Journalism Trainer/Journalist bandaraphael55@gmail) Journalists and other stakeholders need to increase climate change awareness to preserve food security and biodiversity loss globally. In the recent past most parts of the world have witnessed high temperatures, prolonged dry spells and flashfloods, with Zambia not being exception. This is threatening national food security, causing immense damage to infrastructure and impacting economic activities. A week ago , the European Union (EU) Climate Change Service disclosed that for the first time, global warming has exceeded 1.5C across an entire year. The situation calls for increased public sensitization, awareness and doubling of efforts to cut down greenhouse gas emissions to slow down the unfolding climate crisis. It is also crucial that African countries highly impacted by climate change begin to access the loss and damage fund to address their peculiar areas of concern. ...

Biodiversity Governance and Localisation Key.

By Raphael Banda B iodiversity governance This piece of writing will start with a question. Do we have enough laws that protect biodiversity, if yes are they being implemented to pervert biodiversity loss? We may be aware that biodiversity governance concerns all laws, rules, policies, and processes that govern the management, conservation, and use of biodiversity, including mechanisms for benefit-sharing, protecting rights, safeguarding against harm, and ensuring accountability. This includes how decisions are made, power is shared, and rights and responsibilities are being enforced, these include both traditional and statutory laws. Over the years, balancing competing interests has been one of the challenges of biodiversity governance. There is need for systems to regulate our interactions with nature on both domestic and international scene. This issue draws local and international attention because species don’t respect jurisdictional ...

THE PLATFORM

Search This Blog