Former Health Minister and Patriotic Front (PF) presidential aspirant Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has admitted that the previous PF government shares responsibility for Zambia’s ongoing energy crisis, citing inadequate investment in infrastructure during its time in office.
Lusaka, 15 November- Former Minister of Health and current Mansa Central PF Member of Parliament, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, has said the Patriotic Front government cannot be exonerated from the current energy crisis, acknowledging that the party failed to adequately invest in energy infrastructure during its tenure.
Speaking during an appearance on Emmanuel Mwamba’s EMV programme on Sunday evening, Dr. Chilufya said while previous energy investments were once sufficient in meeting national demand, Zambia’s rapidly growing population and changing demographic patterns required more aggressive infrastructure expansion something the PF administration did not fully implement.
“There’s no way we can run away from the fact that we didn’t do enough,” he said. “While we had legacy projects, they were not matched with the pace of population growth and industrial expansion.”
Dr. Chilufya emphasized that although the current UPND government is now responsible for managing and resolving the energy crisis, the burden of blame must be shared with former administrations that did not anticipate future energy needs.
He described the ongoing power challenges as a national issue requiring honest reflection, national unity, and a multipronged solution.
“There’s a need for collective responsibility,” Dr. Chilufya stated. “We must look to the future by embracing a diversified energy mix that includes hydro, solar, and coal to ensure sustainability and energy security.”
He further stressed the importance of investing in underutilized hydropower sources, noting that Zambia is endowed with numerous waterfalls and water bodies that hold untapped potential.
Dr. Chilufya also urged the government to attract strategic partnerships and investments to fast-track energy diversification and infrastructure development, saying this is crucial to addressing the root causes of load-shedding and building resilience against future crises.
©Nkanionline