FORMER energy minister David Mabumba says Zesco is on firm ground by encouraging its consumers to look for alternative power sources.

On Saturday, Zesco Spokesperson Matongo Maumbi urged consumers to optimise energy consumption and seek alternative power sources.

Commenting on this in an interview, Sunday, Mabumba said the country should not depend on water generated electricity given the climate circumstances.

“What Zesco is advising is what we are supposed to do, including me as a Zambian. I have to look for alternative sources of energy and they are not pretending, they are just being honest. It’s just that sometimes in this country, we don’t want people [to tell us the facts], when they tell us the facts, the truth, we don’t like [it]. Zesco is being fair and honest. Zambia should not depend on water generated electricity. Now, given the circumstances, we all just have to look for alternative sources like they are saying. Zesco is just being on firm ground that we as a people should begin to explore alternative sources of energy. In pursuit of that, that’s where government is supposed to provide incentives, that’s why you see the government have removed duty on solar importation,” he said.

“If you are importing solar systems, they have removed duty. So for me, it is that platform where incentives are being provided and if Zambians can harness that, that’s where to go because climate change is real, unless someone wants to doubt or pretend, climate change is real. And therefore, the fact that climate change is real, we as Zambians working together with the government, let’s explore alternative sources of energy and that’s how this country will proceed”.

Mabumba encouraged citizens to work with government, arguing that the blame game would not help anyone.

“If you go to Kenya, they went through what you are going through, today Kenya is good at geothermal, today Kenya is good at wind power generation so these things are real at individual level, at national level, they are real and they can be done but what is important, all of us as Zambians, let us come together, whether we blame or what, it will not help us. But it’s to come together in pursuing those solutions and I am sure it can be done. We’ve seen countries that have gone through these things at the end of the day arise from climate disaster incidents much stronger than they were. We need to work together with the government,” said Mabumba.