By BARNABAS ZULU
ZESCO managing director Mr. Victor Mapani has been removed from his position in a mutual separation deal, with his contract set to officially expire on December 2, 2024.
Zesco board chairperson Mr. Vickson Ncube confirmed the decision, stating, “The Zesco board has allowed the utility company’s managing director Victor Mapani to proceed on leave pending the expiration of his contract.”
He expressed gratitude for Mr. Mapani’s service, wishing him well in his future endeavours.
Mr. Mapani, who was appointed managing director in 2021 under a three-year contract, will be temporarily replaced by Ms. Justine Loongo, the company’s director of transmission, operations, and trade. The move has drawn sharp criticism from political figures including Saboi Imboela, the leader National Democratic Congress (NDC) who has branded Mr Mapani as a lamentable failure, whose dismissal was long overdue.
Ms Imboela stated; “He (Mr Mapani) has lamentably failed. The board wanted to fire him, but the politicians protected him. So, this is very good; it’s a step in the right direction.”
Ms Imboela highlighted the impact of Zesco’s inefficiency, citing prolonged load shedding that has affected businesses and households alike.
“When you are employed, you are supposed to work, and if you fail, then you are supposed to go,” she added.
She said President Hakainde Hichilema should appoint a competent managing director, who is detached from politics and will improve the company’s efficiency.
Patriotic Front chairperson for information and publicity Emmanuel Mwamba, echoed the same sentiments, asserting that Zesco needed a leader who could restore the company’s engineering backbone.
“What Zesco needs is a man or woman who will bring back the good backbone of engineers that Victor Mapani fired,” Mr Mwamba said, emphasising the importance of addressing the utility’s debt portfolio and renegotiating power purchase agreements.
He also accused Mr Mapani of wantonly exporting power to the region neglecting the power deficit at home.
“Zesco, like the Ministry of Agriculture on maize, was engaged in wanton power exports to the region, and eventually finished its water allocation for 2024 by June 2024. Zesco is now facing a colossal import bill and rising debt,” Mr Mwamba said.
“Mapani’s management was accused of engaging in corrupt procurements, for example, when he chose to import $110 million worth of electricity poles from Zimbabwe, without transparent tender process and without affording such a lucrative opportunity to ZAFFICO and other local suppliers.
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