President RUPIAH BANDA has constituted a committee of ministers to look at the restructuring of ZESCO.
Energy Minister KENNETH KONGA disclosed this at a media breakfast organised by the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) in Lusaka today.
Mr KONGA said the committee is currently sitting and consulting all stakeholders on the restructuring of ZESCO.
He said Government has also commissioned a study to look at the most effective and cheapest option of importing crude into the country.
Mr KONGA said some of the options include modernising Indeni refinery, constructing a new refinery or using the TAZAMA pipeline.
And Speaking at the same function, Communications and Transport minister GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA announced that government is conducting feasibility studies on the construction of new rail lines.
Professor LUNGWANGWA said government intends to construct a rail line from Kafue to Zimbabwe and another from Solwezi through Kasempa to Namibia’s Walvis Bay.
He said government intends to construct another rail line from Chipata in the Eastern province to Serenje in Central province.
Professor LUNGWANGWA said government will soon advertise for tenders for the construction of the rail lines.
[ZNBC]
Would Minsiters have the detachment required to objectively provide the way forward. I would have assumed a team of professionals or even consultants.
#1 Nice try. Some of your are just negative about everything. For ZAMTEL we picked consultants and look at where the process ended up going. Tribunal and call Hon Dora Siliya all sorts of names. This time around we leave out consultants and you are again back calling for consultants , my foot!!!! Please take take the wording opposition party literally, engage your minds and objectively take positions.
if only these clowns could seriosly get down to doing real work on those railway lines they are talkign about, it could help lots of people and the economy at large
# 1 couldn’t agree any better with you.
# 2 the problem with Zamtel was that a minister was in charge of selection and clearly there are PLENTY professionals in Zambia who could have undertaken that work no need for a cayman islands firm. You have to understand that people are not just negative or anti MMD but we have seen the same things done before and yield nothing. What do ministers know about Zesco? A team of experts from Ministry of Energy, Finance, and Commerce would have been better. We spend loads of money training civil servants but never use them to better the nation
This talk about rail lines is crap. We have delapidated rail infrastructure, why not rehabilitate that first. RSZ complained that they pay fuel levy yet its used for roads and not rail lines. Bane lets get…
This will be another case of wasted millions of dollars!! Will they finish the projects? Or i bet, the Chinese will give grants / loans for this and they will bring their own workers when we have million of amalofwa-turned-into-MMD-cadres!!
Iwe MMD Chief Bootlicker, ili chipuba sana! Yo so ugly my man! That is not a zambian face tbh. What are you doing in SA anyway? Ulibe nchito?
Bane lets get serious with the way we run the country. We either have people who have no idea on how best to run the affairs of the country or have all the wrong ideas.
I really believ tht our govt is useless, who do they stand 4? hw much does kansanshi, mopani, lumwana or kcm pay 4 all th power they use. Shud an ordinarly zambia suffer for these multi million firms? Rubbish.
#4 – Well spoken! Agreed.
#4 Zedian,
I agree with you. In addition, we have Cabinet Office who could be engaged if at all the processes that have been employed before have not yielded desired results.
#1 to 8 above: Just to assist MMD Chief Bootlicker, for the benefit of those who aspire to lead the nation, this is the way it works: the ministerial committee has technocrats (#4, experts if you like)who do the research, gather stakeholder views, analyse the issues, and select best options with pros and cons for each. These are given to the committee of ministers to study and consider. The committee seeks clarifications and makes suggested changes if necessary. Once this is done, the options are presented to full cabinet for consideration. After cabinet debate, the best option may be adopted, or it may be given back to the experts with comments for further consideration. I thought this is useful information for those of you want who change but may not know how governments work.
Among the many leadership attributes that I admire in Rupiah Banda is his decisiveness and the desire to get things done. Just look at the way he handled the potential crisis around Levy’s passing, impact of the global economic crisis on Zambia barely a few months in office, the speed with which he is implementing infrastructure development – roads, schools, health centres and hospitals etc – did anyone ever think Mongu – Kalabo road would be attempted again after the last failure, Chavuma – Mutanda etc? Explains why Levy brought him from retirement, you will not agree publicly but he is the best thing that happened to Zambia in a long time. When people talk change, I ask them to suggest a better leader for 2011, so far no answer, just insults.
Restructuring ZESCO, sounds nice. But hang on, are sure the motive is to offer better services? I am suspicious. They gonna put in place guys that will realise all moneys ZESCO has without resistence for their campaigns. next year.
Even Mr Sata knows these facts, that is why he is very good buddies with Rupiah. Look at the way Sata stopped his cadres in Mandevu and Garden from violence after it was announced that Rupiah had won the elections in 2008. The other man could NOT have done such a magnanimous act. If Sata is not able to get the PACT leadership for 2011 he will most probably campaign for the more peaceful and amiable Rupiah for the sake of Zambia, watch this space…….
#12 lay down your arsenal, are you sure that ZESCO possesses the kind of money that you think it has? Why do they perpertually want tariff increment? That is just about all the news that comes from the organisation for the past few years, not just this year.
#2 I think you’re coming out too harsh and without justification, # 1 is right,relevant consultants are the best to advise on way forward for ZESCO,some of those Ministers do not even have any college or Uni qualifications. The issues regarding ZESCO are critical and it’s best that qualified & experienced personel assess the situation and advise govt on what needs doing,the World Bank is also an interested party as it funds some of ZESCO’s projects so it’s always dictated the way forward.
# Katie Good,ZESCO get good revenue & it is true the ruling party and govt borrow from ZESCO & never pay back that’s why successive Presidents choose an MD of their choice,it’s always been political hence the liquidity problems at ZESCO.
“Restructuring”, in which context?? Hope RB is not talking “Privatisation” yet of another sound state enterprise. I can assure you RB, if you sell ZESCO, you will have nowhere to run to and we will make sure you account for every penny even in you old age. If the world can prosecute ex NAZIs in there late age(s), why not you?? Zambia is not for sale. There is no way a sensible individual can venture into restructuring of big organisations e.g. (ZAMTEL & now ZESCO) at the same time. Unless…
Let this advisory work be done by international consultants that are independent from political influence. Of course local consultants must also be included in the process. The terms of reference will of course be how to increase the generation capacity and maintain the lowest prices. Of course Zesco must never be privatized if electricity costs are to be low and expansion of the network is to continue. The best thing that could happen to the company would be it make it a corporate entity and remove all political influence from the operations.
Ba Konga umutwe kwati lubalala ulwikalamo lweka olo kotapela, very thick and odd shaped!
Decisiveness and get things done-refusing to appeal lazo’s case,re-appointing Siliya 24hrs after a ribunal hearing,not getting rid of Kabonde despite the corruption case hanging over his head,proclaiming zambians have accepted lazos acquital,taking chansa kabwela to court
On Levys passing on-what potential crisis was impending for him to take any drastic or extra ordinary decisions,beats me!! i beg to be corrected,what crisis was there; Global economic crisis:what exactly did he do,its not like he had to running around looking for new investors to take over,it was a temporal situation which eventually the whole world came out unscathed,the mines were already in private hands,the owners simply continued from where they left off,that is Levys work,RB just officiated for recommencement
can someone show me a project,a school,hospital, a road or just any project that was initiated and completed by RB that he has commissioned during his tenure so far,he has been in office for almost 2 yrs now,within this time if he had a project to his name it should have by now been completed,a school or a health center in a rural setting would atmost take under 8months to complete with all the,which road has he commisioned so far,just any simple project,for all i know we have just been hearing directives,nothing on the ground to point at really
Katie Good, you are so useless! I bet you are not that cute too! Wise up and seek within yourself which side you are bating. MMD and RB are so useless!! Listen to what that guy -HH, who is almost my age age and he has sacrificed the life which you and me enjoy to toy up with those useless old Zambian leaders you support. Come on lass (assuming you are, maybe you are a man!) lets do good to some of the hopeless relations back home and give them a good leader. Its not much to ask
Rwanda, a country which is resource challenged are well above us in terms of developments. Whats going on? Please our ministers, wots up or are you busy mosi-ing around and thieving? Lets cut these bastards wages and see how they function….
Let us pray guys. Chabipa abanensu ku Nigeria balufya bakateka babo. MHSRIP.
Health and Education should be the main priority of any leadership,but when you hear statements like these,it leaves you wondering;
1-Prof Lungwangwa noted that the government failed to fulfill all planned activities because of inadequate and irregular flow of resources, delays in handling teachers’ confirmation and allowance-related cases, inadequate teacher accommodation and inadequate desks, teaching and learning materials
2-He dismissed allegations that expectant mothers carry buckets to hospitals in order for them to dispose off their after birth as incorrect because mothers were often told to carry buckets to use them to put their soiled clothes.
and yet we are being told by caders that RB is doing a great job
Thank you!!!!!!!!! ululululululululululululululu!!!!!!!!
This is what you should be doing. Ignore all the nay sayers and continue planning for the development of our country! I hope that from now on, no government official will respond to insults, negatives and personality attacks from the gutter kaponya opposition politicians. Let them continue to seek their popularity among the ornithological species of identical plumage, conglomerate within the closest locus (Sirach 27:9 Les oiseaux de même espèce vont nicher ensemble.)
#24 RED CARD-Smoothcriminal
Development comes with an industrial revolution. If we cannot build infrastructure, even our education system will be meaningless. There is not a single country in the world today that is wealthy through educating people alone. Indeed, if you educate without infrastructure development and capacity building you get brain drain. India has the most educated people per capita in the world. 11 million Indian trained doctors are out of the country! The Agrarian revolution in China kept it backwards for years, until modern industrialisation started. We need these projects. One does not need to have a degree to invent a steam engine, electric light bulb or a dynamo. Education puffs up, experience builds up!
Iwe chi Saint, are you in other words agreeing one doesn`t need a degree to be leader then?
What ZESCO needs is autonomy just like many other organisations in Zambia (Police included, and, in urgent need). Stop meddling in their affairs. All the tourist needs to do is ask how they are performing.
I don`t know why such a learned man can be talking about building rail lines as if the ones which are there are overwhelmed. Do not invite more problems when you can`t sort out the little that you already have. And, I thought we do use the TAZAMA! Ca some one shed light on this please?
No. 10 Katie Goode, thanks for your explanation about how the ministerial committee works. I think this vindicates MMD Chief Bootlicker.
No. 11 Katie Goode, I don’t think you’re the same person above. I don’t think RB has any vision for the country and whatever development is taking place is doing so in spite of RB – in other words, on its own momentum. When LPM was in a Paris hospital, RB was literally crying at the Cathedral and people were fearful of what was gonna happen next. Do you call that decisive leadership?
The labour force is too high at ZESCO, govt should consider triming it and spending more on providing services and not on salaries
#19 “…it was a temporal situation which eventually the whole world came out unscathed….” ?????? no comment.
#15 Jigga,” …that’s why successive Presidents choose an MD of their choice, it’s always been political hence the liquidity problems at ZESCO…..” sounds like change will not bring us a solution, since we know that even “President Sata” or “President HH” have their party sympathizers on their list for MD of ZESCO come 2011.
#16,19, 20,21,29 trouble is that you have accepted to be under mmembe’s spell, take time to think objectively and independent of the Post and you will see what is happening and the opportunities around you. As I have said before, deep down your hearts some of you accept the truth but publicly you are bound by your party’s agenda.
#31, Katie babes – Are you in support then of GRZ/RB initiating a lot of projects but just to end-up like most buildings in Lusaka City Centre and surrounding areas without completion? Just like some sensible bloggers have suggested, for such ventures to succeed, qualified project managers are need to be appointed to take responsiblities for planning, initiating, completion and evaluation. But RB is starting from initiating projects without planning and this is where the problem starts (no feasibility studies) which in the end could be very confounding
Tariff hikes for ZESCO are short term solutions to sort out their operational problems. This cannot sustain ZESCO’s growth in the long term. To sustain ZESCO’s long term growth, Konga and his friends should decide now to open up for ZESCO‘s private ownership and not tariff hikes. Also advise GRZ to woo investors in this sector so as to play down tariffs. Once listed projects that are on hold are going to be financed from loan stocks from our securities market. I am sure ZESCO will not use up the money for projects for political expediency, instead they will strive to have a good return on the investment and what more this money will have a fixed charge over their assets. Infact LT should give us the ZESCO financials so we talk form facts and not Konga’s speeches.
#31,do me a favour,please show me any structure that RB has put up since becoming president,just a simple developmental structure
give us examples of how decisive he’s been,what impending crisis was there at the time of Levys demise,out of all the projects he has commisioned,which one can he point at as being his own
What a waste of time, the Pact will deal with issue of Zesco next year,they are exploiting us
Ba Banda talk a bout the industry you have created during your 2years rule, dont you have any thing to do, this is what worries me every one who comes into power, all what they do is to sell what they have found built by others.. why dont Kaunda advice them not to sell what he worked for; it is now zesco at its brink of being sold, nor future no planning , daft dull leaders , create industries where people will be employed
Katie Good: Good try my friend. If ever you have the opportunity to follow Chinese investment in Africa you will find that all the developments that you praise RB for are actually failures. Politicised and non transparent acts of making deals with foreign firms that do not benefit the citizens to the extent that they should leave the people robbed. You have to understand that we are in an era where information is so easily accessible and that while your argument may mislead a few it certainly will not mislead all. The coinciding of Chinese demand for raw material with our meager growth is but one thing that reflects poorly on RB. Someone with foresight would be far better able to use this opportunity to benefit Zambia as a whole. Remember, our mining days are numbered so now is the time.
can all these rail lines be built in a year considering the mmd will be out in 2011.I imagine the MMD will rip into zesco to steal the resources there
#37 Youthful citizen, Thank you my good friend. I can confirm that I have a fairly good working knowledge of both Chinese and Western investment in Africa, both the bad and good sides. They score about the same points if they find that you are gullible and desperate.
@10 Katie Good: Thanks for educating bloggers that do not know how government works. The levels of ignorance are shocking.
@37 Youthful Citizen: I do not see how a newly built school resulting in more children going to school can be called a failure. Please find a better argument and not manifesting such unreasonableness, tending towards one who is imbecilic.
is this dude Rupiah hell bent on destroying Zambia’s identity, please people take him out of power ASAP before he sells the Victoria falls.:o