The crooked and illogical practice of Zesco exporting power while Zambia suffers
By Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma
ZAMBIA is facing one of the worst load shedding crises in its history. Businesses are collapsing, factories are shutting down, hospitals are struggling, and households are being thrown into endless darkness. The cost of living has skyrocketed, and economic productivity has taken a massive hit. Yet, in the midst of all this suffering, Zesco continues to export electricity to other countries—only to turn around and import it at a higher cost.
This is not just illogical; it is a criminal betrayal of the Zambian people. It is economic sabotage, plain and simple. How can a country struggling with severe power shortages justify selling electricity to other nations while its own citizens are left in darkness? And worse still, why is Zambia buying back this same power at a higher price than it was sold for? Who is benefiting from this scam? Because it certainly isn’t the ordinary Zambian!
Zesco’s crooked and broken logic
Zesco claims that it is bound by long-term agreements to supply power to neighboring countries. But let’s be honest: what kind of government allows its people to suffer just to honor bad contracts?
Why should Zambians sit in the dark while their electricity is being used to power industries in other nations?
Why is Zesco selling power cheaply and then importing it back at an inflated cost?
Who is pocketing the difference?
This is not incompetence—this is daylight robbery. The suffering of Zambians is being deliberately ignored in favor of crooked deals that only benefit a few corrupt individuals.
The hidden agenda behind this scam
The truth is, Zesco’s power export and import strategy is designed to benefit corrupt elites, not the Zambian people. Instead of prioritizing the country’s energy security, ZESCO and government officials are making deals that benefit foreign companies and a handful of well-connected individuals.
How else do you explain the madness of exporting power that the country desperately needs, only to re-import it at a higher cost? The result? More load-shedding, higher electricity tariffs, and an economy in decline.
This is not just mismanagement—it is a calculated betrayal.
Zambians deserve better—enough is enough!
Zesco’s number one priority should be to provide reliable and affordable power to Zambians first before even thinking about exports. No serious government allows its own people to suffer while selling electricity to outsiders.
The government must immediately review and cancel these questionable power export agreements. Domestic demand must be met first before any power is sold abroad. Zambia has the potential to be energy-sufficient, but corruption and greed are keeping the nation in darkness.
Zambians are watching, and they will not forget. This crooked practice of exporting power while Zambia suffers must stop—NOW!
The people deserve better. The people demand better. And in 2026, they will remember!
