By 
Golden Party of Zambia (GPZ) president, Jackson Silavwe, has accused the government of failing in its responsibility by urging citizens to generate their own electricity using solar power, describing the appeal as an abdication of responsibility.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Monday, Silavwe said the government had an obligation to provide essential services, and energy is one of them.
He argued that by encouraging individuals to generate their own power, the UPND administration was effectively shifting its constitutional duty to the people.
Silavwe proposed several alternatives that he believed the government could adopt to address the energy crisis.
He said the government must stop electricity exports to neighbouring countries and instead focus on recouping revenue losses from mining companies.
He added that all hydropower stations should be upgraded to boost generation by at least 10 to 20 megawatts.
He further suggested the expansion of the Maamba Coal Plant to add between 150 to 200 megawatts as a short-term measure to bridge the current energy deficit.
For medium to long-term strategies, Silavwe called for the construction of three new hydropower stations in Luapula, Northern and Muchinga Provinces to increase the country’s generation capacity.
Rejecting government’s proposed water transfer project from Luapula rivers to the Kafue River, Silavwe argued that the plan was unsustainable and ill-conceived.
Instead, he recommended investment in wind energy in Eastern and Southern Provinces, saying the topography of hills and valleys in these regions was ideal for that form of generation.
He added that Western and North-Western Provinces should be reserved for large-scale solar farms, taking advantage of the expansive open land and sunlight availability.
Silavwe also called for investment in nuclear energy to meet rising industrial and population demands.
He emphasised that with proper management, the mining sector had the capacity to fund energy projects without the need for external borrowing.
He projected that Zambia could increase its electricity generation by between 2,500 to 4,000 megawatts if the proposed short, medium and long-term measures were implemented.
Silavwe added that with a total generation capacity of 5,000 megawatts, Zambia could export surplus power without compromising domestic supply and economic stability.
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