Africa-Press – Zambia. It is exciting to see the power utility, ZESCO respond to the electricity crisis.
ZESCO has awarded tenders for the supply and installation of industrial generator sets to be set up in trading markets starting with Soweto, Chilenje and Nyumba Yanga markets.
This will save micro and small businesses that have been severely affected by the power crisis.
ZESCO has since announced that the sets have began arriving in the country and will be installed at public places such as hospitals and markets.
But when did ZESCO award these tenders for the procurement of these generator sets?
We saw how 17 Ministers of Health and their technical staff in Africa were arrested during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis as they used the emergency to siphon public resources.
Recently we have seen how the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) is not being transparent with the utilization of funds donated for the disaster.
For example, DMMU awarded a company, Newgrowco (Z) Ltd, a tender to import and supply 50,000 metric tonnes of maize at a whopping cost of $22million without a public or competitive tender process.
We must never allow the looting of public resources under the guise of urgent or emergency response expenditure.
There are many local energy companies that could have participated in the tender to import and supply these gensets.
Further, we have been asking ZESCO; “Where are the industrial off-grid gensets you decommissioned in places like Chavuma, Chama, Lundazi, Luangwa, Kabompo, Lukulu, Mwinilunga, Zambezi districts”?
Below is the story;
DIESEL GENSETS INSTALLATION IN MARKETS ACROSS LUSAKA UNDERWAY
ZESCO Limited has today, Saturday, 31 August 2024 started installing diesel powered generators in Soweto Market, Nyumba Yanga and Chilenje Market as part of short term measure to the current energy crisis and to ensure that there is continuous power supply to essential services
On Friday, 30 August 2024, Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary, Peter Mumba announced the arrival of Nine(9) out of Twenty-Three Diesel powered generators intended to be part of the short-term mitigating measures government is developing and implementing to respond to the energy crisis.
“Citizens may wish to note that the first consignment of nine (9) out of twenty-three (23) diesel generators procured have now arrived in the country while the remaining fourteen (14) are expected to arrive in the country in the coming week,” Mr Mumba said.
The Permanent Secretary added: “The nine (9) diesel generators that have been received so far, will be installed this week beginning with two (2) at Chilenje and Nyumba Yanga markets and another two (2) to be installed at Soweto Market. Therefore, the installation of all 23 diesel generators will be completed by 30th September 2024.”
He disclosed this at the National Energy Brief held yesterday at the Energy Regulation Board Head Office in Lusaka.
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