By Cecilia Chiluba 
Energy Expert has observed that late 6th Republican President Edgar Lungu brought about a technological shift in the energy sector by embracing diversification in view of the drought.
Bornface Zulu told Money News in an interview that it was during President Lungu’s tenure that Zambia experienced the first drought which significantly affected the country’s electricity generation capacity due to over reliance on hydro power.
Engineer Zulu noted that the diversification was done through facilitating the Bangweulu and Ngonye solar projects, which were among the biggest solar initiatives in Zambia during his tenure.
“The former President acknowledged the drought and also the fact that we needed diversification in the energy sector, he was the first President to acknowledge that because it was during his tenure that Zambia experienced the first drought which significantly affected Zambia’s generation capacity in terms of electricity and the fact that we were depending on one source of energy which was hydro power.”
“This signifies that he brought about a technological shift as Head of State by ensuring that the energy sector started diversifying,” Eng. Zulu said.
He added that President Lungu also ensured that Maamba Collieries had to expand from 150 to 300 megawatts which was seen as a good move.
“In the hydro-power generation space, we also saw that Lunzua hydro power station in the Northern province was expanded to 14 megawatts, which brought significant improve in the energy sector and relief for the northern circuit,” he noted.
The former Head of State, who led Zambia from 2015 to 2021, died earlier this month in South Africa where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness.
News Desk 
Joseph Tembo