Africa-Press – Zambia. ZESCO Board Chairperson Chibwe Mwelwa has reiterated that President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has built on KK’s infrastructure legacy and made Zambia a Power-hub in southern region. Mr. Mwelwa said this today at the commissioning of the 750MW Kafue Lower Gorge project in Chikankata constitutency, Southern Province.
Mr. Mwelwa added that electricity generation is vital in the development of any nation. President Kenneth Kaunda last commissioned a power project in 1977. Since the ruling Patriotic Front popular victory in 2011, they have embarked on a number of projects across the country.
“And because of these projects, Zambia in the whole of Southern Africa, is the highest producer of electricity. The PF Government under the remarkable leadership of His Excellence Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu has connected Southern Province, North-Western Province, and other parts of Zambia which were not part of the national grid. This is essential for national development for instance, you need energy to run industries, or mines or even running a chigayo at the market , you need power, because power drives the economy”, he explained.
The board Chairperson further stated that Zambia used to have about 600,000 households connected to the national grid but the *PF Government* had doubled the digits to over 1,300,000 users. In terms of power generation, which is unprecedented.
*President Lungu’s* vision to develop this country has made us become the highest producer of electricity in southern region. In addition, we have now after 57 years of Independence the capacity to export power to neighboring countries, a huge milestone for as a country and ZESCO in particular.
President Lungu was in Chikankata district, Southern province to launch the Kafue Lower Gorge Hydropower project, one of the three major game-changer projects.
He was received by PF National Chairman and ZRA board chairman, Southern province permanent secretary, Lusaka province permanent secretary, ZESCO managing director and board members, IDC group CEO, China embassy and China representative to Zambia, PF Southern province chairman , Southern Province Presidential campaign coordinator, PF adopted candidate for Chikankata constitutency, and other senior Government and party officials.
