Zambia does not need CEC

Wed, 16 Aug 2017 14:02:36 +0000

Dear Editor,

The news that Mopani Mine of Mufulira has been forced to send its workers away because our Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) has reduced power supply to the mine made sad reading.

It is like this company is not being run by concerned Zambians who want to see our economy blossom.

For starters, this company is just a problem of middlemen who really reap where they do not sow.

Just why in the name of Holy Moses should we allow these brokers get power from ZESCO which they later sell to the mines at a much higher profit? It just does not stick.

I mean, why surely ZESCO can’t directly sell power to the mines like it is doing to other consumers?

Why CEC? This power belongs to ZESCO whose workers get bitten by misquotes in the water catchment areas where electricity is generated.

I cannot rule out politics because I am reliably informed that one of the major shareholders in CEC is our opposition ADD president Charles Milupi and you can guess the rest.

Obviously what has happened has already affected the performance of our economy.

And why did CEC decide to do what it has dome at this time when copper prices are steadily rising? For me, I see political games at play.

It would appear that this company is with all intent out to “fix” President Lungu and his PF government to appease certain individuals.

Therefore the call by 3rd Liberation Movement president Enock Tonga should be take seriously and he rightly pointed out that there is a cartel which is aiming at grinding our economy to a halt. It is all easy to guess so.

My appeal to President Lungu is that he should use the current partial state of emergency to correct some issues in the nation because the action by CEC certainly smells of political machinations by some disgruntled politicians who are not happy with how the economy is performing.

The action  by CEC should not be taken lightly. It is an act of sabotage as far as many of us Zambians are concerned.

Government can only choose to ignore Mr Tonga’s sentiments at its own peril. Something is smelling at CEC and I hope one day I will be proved right.

Jay Kabemba, LUSAKA