ZESCO Limited says it will next year start putting ‘more money in the pockets’ of rural dwellers across the country by engaging them in clearing its power lines with the help of chiefs.
This has elated traditional leaders who see the gesture as a tool for reducing rural poverty.
Managing director Cyprian Chitundu said in Lusaka yesterday from next year the company will start awarding contracts to cut grass to villagers to put more money in their pockets.
Mr Chitundu said unlike in the past when contracts were awarded to companies from urban areas, Zesco will engage traditional leaders in mobilising communities to cut grass along the transmission lines to empower the local people.
“We want to help put more money in the pocket of every Zambian, instill ownership in local communities and make them feel part of the nation by awarding them contracts to cut grass along transmission lines. We will change the procurement system in the awarding of contracts for cutting grass along transmission lines to incorporate the local people,” Mr Chitundu said.
He was speaking when he officiated at the environmental and social affairs unit’s 15th anniversary held at Lusaka’s Southern Sun Hotel on Friday night.
Mr Chitundu said by engaging the villagers in cutting grass, they will also provide security and the ESU department will be tasked to convince traditional leaders and the local people to take up the contracts.
He said Zesco feels the move would also help sensitise the communities to look after transmission lines and not to burn the bush unnecessarily and take up ownership of the protection of the environment.
Mr Chitundu urged the ESU to rise to the challenge and convince the local people to accept the offer from Zesco, which will help enhance security of the transmission lines.
And House of Chiefs chairperson Chief Madzimawe has welcomed the move by Zesco Limited to empower the villagers.
“It is a positive move by Zesco, a number of people in villages have no jobs and awarding them contracts is a positive way of empowering the rural communities who are in dire need of employment,” he said.
The traditional leader urged other companies operating in rural areas to emulate Zesco in providing employment to the local people.
He said the ‘more money in the pocket’ slogan by the Patriotic Front is not meant for people in urban areas only but for all Zambians.
The chief said the move by Zesco will motivate villagers and ensure that Zesco properties are protected.
Chief Puta of the Bwile people also commended Zesco for the gesture, which he said will help stop exploitation by urban-based companies that were being awarded contracts to cut grass along transmission lines.
He said the companies would go and engage villagers and only pay them peanuts and take the rest of the money.
The chief said villagers used to accept the peanuts because that was the only opportunity they had to get a job because of lack of companies in rural areas.
He said the awarding of contracts to local people will also help stop vandalism because casual workers from urban areas who were enlightened were the ones who used to cut cables.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Another company with a aboard not fit for purpose
WHy not sell these companies to a British company so that the efficiency improves ?
Zambia is a joke I am afraid
I will be a f00l to return back
Thanks
you wat do you for a living where you are? i just hope you are not in a billion dollar industry!!!!!!!!!!!
Mushota, shut it!
What a joke ZESCO. Why take a long road of involving chiefs. Why not allow rural people set up clearing companies which you can contract to do the job.
#3 in the past,chiefs have complained of been marginalised and this is the starting point of decentriliasation and zesco has challenged the chiefs and it will help villagers have money in their pockets.
Sounds like a good move but i doubt the efficiency..Lets try it and see how it goes… the chiefs must work if they need a share of this money than robbing their own people in form of bribes in order to get jobs.
This House of Chiefs chairperson Chief Madzimawe! His he a Thief or Chief?
Because he seems to have collected a lot of brown envelopes during the last MMD Banda regime as he supported even the things he never seem to have seen nor clarified!
He is a THIEF not a chief!
You Thiefs chairperson Chief Madzimawe you need to SHUT UP and not open your FOUL smelling CORRUPT mouth!
No Zambians wants to hear your ignorant RANTS now!
Mushota you believe so much in the colonial masters. When are you going to be liberated-what works in Britain does not work in Zambia. In any case how do you define efficiency? Learn to believe in yourself.
Good move ZESCO!
Who takes Mushota seriously? She is a joke of a human being. The fact that she is all over reading and commenting on Zambian affairs shows her interest in the motherland. Why is she concerned about efficiency in a company whose country you have forsaken? We are brave people who are living the ordeal and using our knowledge, skills, intellect to govern ourselves while you second class good for nothing sucker in a master servitude keeps ranting on things you cant help despite your purpoted education. Your mind is full of malware, trojans and worms. You are British, why don’t you concentrate on Cameronomics?
Iwe ka Mushota, takwaba ati “return back”. It is just “return” or “come back”. Your father came from, or your roots are in Mushota village in Kawambwa, Luapula province. We are just lobbying govt to take electricity there under the Luena project and Rural Electrification. You are already a fool by thinking stupidily of your motherland that you are so much interested in. You can be taken out of Zambia but no one can take Zambia out of you. Ukese fye with your chi old husband so that you how much development we are making unlike your fickle and dodgey and cowardly lost soul cheating yourself piety in foreign lands where you are never home. ZAMBIA is laka mwaice.
Mushota, ka traitor from the gheto. You don’t seem to have a brain. I feel sorry for you, please grow up.
mmmmmmmmm