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The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has urged the government to renegotiate all regional power exports contracts with the singular goal of protecting Zambia’s sovereign interests and avoid further economic meltdown.
EFF leader, Kasonde Mwenda, described as reckless and short-sighted approach adopted by the UPND government in the export of electricity while Zambians endured unprecedented levels of load-shedding and economic hardship.
Mwenda in a statement issued in Lusaka on Monday demanded that the government should halt all non-essential electricity exports until Zambia’s domestic needs were fully met and the country returned to normalcy.
He said this was not just a policy failure but was a betrayal of Zambia’s long-term national interests, its industrial ambitions, and its people’s hope for a better future.
The EFF leader stated that Zambians were currently suffering up to 21 hours of blackouts, with factories falling silent, small businesses stuttering, farms stand idle, and thousands facing job losses.
“Yet, our government continues to prioritize exports of electricity—our most strategic resource—to regional neighbors, propping up their industries and creating jobs abroad while Zambian families are left in the dark,” Mwenda said.
He argued that this was the literal export of not just electricity, but also Zambia’s jobs, industry, and future prosperity.
Mwenda urged the government to prioritize power supply for local industry, Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), farmers, and households, emphasizing that Zambian jobs and livelihoods should come first.
He noted the need to place the Zambian economic growth, employment, and poverty eradication at the center of energy policy.
“While our citizens and businesses endure daily load-shedding, the UPND government continues to export vast quantities of electricity to countries such as Namibia, Botswana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), powering foreign factories and helping regional competitors grow while Zambian jobs disappear and our economy stagnates,” Mwenda said.
He claimed that Zambia exported $123 million worth of electricity to Namibia, $111 million to Botswana, and $90 million to Congo in 2023 alone.
Mwenda alleged that current contracts also included supplying up to 100 MW to Zimbabwe, with future agreements targeting even more regional markets.
“This reckless prioritization means we are literally exporting our nation’s industrial potential and job opportunities, condemning Zambian workers and entrepreneurs to poverty while neighboring nations thrive on our energy,” he said.
Mwenda stated that exporting electricity under these conditions was sacrificing Zambia’s future value generation for short-term financial or diplomatic gains.
He added it was a dangerous trade-off that risked underdevelopment, unemployment, and entrenched poverty for generations to come.
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