GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO RESOLVE ELECTRICITY CHALLENGES
THE UPND government has a master plan on power, and no amount of poor communication will overshadow the real progress made so far.
This morning’s Hot FM live radio interview with the Permanent Secretary for Energy, quite frankly, was disappointing. 
The permanent secretary struggled to articulate the government’s energy recovery plan, leaving listeners with the impression that nothing was being done to fix Zambia’s electricity challenges. But this is far from the truth.
The issue at hand is not government inaction. It is poor communication. And it must be said: permanent secretaries are not necessarily technical experts in their respective ministries. Their role is administrative, which is why they are referred to as Controlling Officers. However, that is not to suggest that they should not be conversant with the issues of their responsibility.
The decision to allow the permanent secretary to appear on a live radio programme without the backing of technical experts from ZESCO was a strategic blunder, to say the least. Worse still, the office of the Principal Public Relations Officer (PPRO) at the Ministry of Energy failed to do its job. It was evident from the performance of the permanent secretary that he was not properly briefed. It would appear no preproduction was done to prepare the permanent secretary before he appeared on the live radio programme. The need to rehearse key messages and be armed with concrete data is always encouraged .
ZESCO, too, can not escape blame. Why was there no technical spokesperson or engineer on that programme? Why is ZESCO’s corporate affairs team so silent when the nation is crying for answers? In the past, we had strong communicators like Henry Kapata defending the institution vigorously. Today, Caristo Chitamfya and his team seem to be absent in action, and that silence leaves the government unnecessarily vulnerable to attack.
But let us be very clear, behind the shaky media performance lies a government that is actually working day and night to resolve this crisis, both in the short and long term.
Here are some of the concrete projects currently underway:
• Maamba Collieries Thermal Plant (300MW): Already feeding into the national grid and stabilising supply.
• Chisamba Solar Project (100MW):
• Another 100 MW Solar plant in the same area nearing completion with over 70% of works already done.
• Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro: Operational, contributing significantly to the national electricity mix.
• Capital Fertiliser Solar (40MW): Works advancing with an estimated 60% progress. Of the 40MW, 20 for self-consumption, 20MW to the national grid.
• Bangweulu and Ngonye Solar Extensions (80MW): Expansions underway to boost renewables.
• Private Sector Solar & Wind Investments: Over 400MW licensed and staggered for rollout by December 2025.
• 50-megawatts Mansa Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant by CGM Power Group Limited
• 50 MW solar pv power plant in Baluba Maposa, Luanshya district by Maposa solar company limited
• 60 MW solar pv power plant integrated with 20 MWH battery energy storage system (bess) in Choma district by Cooma solar power plant limited
• 28 MW solar pv power plant at Luanshya power station in Kapiri Mposhi district by Lunsemfwa hydro power limited
• 100 MW solar pv power plant in Chief Moono’s area, Mumbwa district by sun share energy limited
• 8MW off-grid solar pv power plant with 2.5MWH bess in Kasempa district by Sany International Zambia industrial company limited
• 25 MW phase II solar PV power plant in Serenje district by solar century one power limited
• 12 MW solar pv power plant in Fitula area, Chingola district by fitula solar company limited among others
When all these projects listed above are completed, load shedding challenges will be fixed completely.
In percentage terms, Zambia is already past the halfway mark towards closing the supply gap. The government estimates that by December 2025, more than 70% of all ongoing projects will be commissioned, pushing Zambia closer to energy sufficiency.
In addition to this, the long-term strategy is to diversify the energy mix, invest in renewables, expand interconnectors with neighbours, and promoting Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
This is not a government that is “doing nothing.” It is a government making tough, painful, and strategic investments to ensure Zambians never suffer this kind of crisis ever again.
The lesson from today’s radio blunder is simple. Good work means nothing if it is poorly communicated.
The government has a story to tell, and it must be told with clarity, confidence, and technical backing. Otherwise, critics will keep defining the narrative while progress goes unnoticed.
Zambians deserve both action and information. The action is happening. What is missing is the voice.
