Kitwe civic leader urges ZESCO to ease load shedding for water supply

Former Kitwe Deputy Mayor, Felix Malasha, has called on ZESCO Limited to reduce load shedding hours in Kitwe, Kalulushi, and Chambishi to facilitate borehole water pumping as the region grapples with a water crisis.

The disruption followed last week’s contamination of the Kafue River by Sino Metals Leach Limited, which forced authorities to halt water supply, leaving residents in distress.

Malasha, who is also the Parklands Ward Councillor, urged ZESCO to suspend load shedding in the affected towns to ease the crisis.

“ZESCO must take immediate action to suspend load shedding in Kitwe, especially during this dire period. Our city is facing a severe water shortage, and the persistent power outages have only worsened the situation,” he said in a statement on Monday.

He noted that residents with boreholes who are willing to share water with their neighbors are being hindered by inconsistent electricity supply, restricting their ability to operate water pumps.

“As a councillor, I have witnessed firsthand the hardships our community is enduring. We are facing a dual crisis—a water shortage and power deficiency. It’s imperative that we address this issue urgently,” Malasha stressed.

He appealed to authorities to prioritize suspending load shedding in Kitwe to provide relief to residents struggling with the crisis.

The acid spillage from Sino Metals’ tailing dams last Tuesday has severely impacted Kitwe and surrounding areas, leading to temporary school closures and growing concerns over public health and sanitation.

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