Tue, 27 Jun 2017 06:35:34 +0000
By Aaron Chiyanzo and Charles Musonda
TERRORISTS who vandalised two pylons on the 330 KV Kafue West-Lusaka West line had a clear intention to paralyze the economy and plunge parts of Zambia into total darkness as the targeted line supplies power to the mines and industries in Lusaka.
The deliberate act also put many lives at risk, including those of the saboteurs, because the 330KV line had capacity to wipe out any living being within a kilometre radius had the ground been wet.
Government has since warned that people behind the macabre act in an attempt to suffocate the country’s major economic activities would not beat the State.
Minister of Energy David Mabumba said it was clear that the terrorists’ wanton intention was to paralyze the national economy because Zambia’s economic mainstay was mining whose operations had been negatively affected.
The latest act of terror saw vandals tamper with two pylons, cutting down one which ignited a bush fire and put innocent lives at risk.
Mr. Mabumba was shocked by acts of terror in Kafue, saying the district had been turned into a terrorism cell as not long ago terrorists burnt down the office of the district education board secretary.
The minister, who visited the scene unaccompanied, called on security wings to beef up their operations and warned that the cartel tampering with public infrastructure would be brought to book.
He said in as much as the incident was a national disaster, the culprits failed to black out the whole country as was targeted, adding that the people behind the macabre act were fighting a losing battle.
“This is a national disaster because production has been extremely affected. Kafue has been turned into a terrorist cell, just recently it was the DEBS’ office which was on fire. But we must warn that the terrorists will not beat us, they will be brought to book,” he warned.
Earlier, senior manager for transmission Julius Kampamba warned that the 330 KV that the high voltage line had capacity to kill any living being or creature within a kilometer radius had the ground been wet.
A check by the Daily Nation revealed that the line had caused extensive damage to the nearby vegetation and that a fire had spread through the area in the process
Zesco managing director victor Mundende assured that repair works were likely to be completed by today evening but mines on the Copperbelt and most of the industries in Lusaka would be affected for the rest of the day.
Mr. Mundende explained that the vandalized high voltage lines were the ones supplying power to the mines, some parts of the industrial and residential areas in Lusaka. By yesterday afternoon Zesco workers had managed to weld another power tower that had been partially cut and they suspected that the saboteurs might have some inside idea on their target as gas welding flame was allegedly used to chop the gigantic steel structures.
Lusaka Minister Japhen Mwakalombe also toured the area.
