The Oil Marketing Companies Association of Zambia –OMCAZ – has demanded for immediate resignation of Energy Minister Peter Kapala who they claim is incompetent and has terribly failed to deliver to the poor Zambian people.
The call comes amid mounting pressure on the government over the continued energy crisis in both fuel and electricity in the country.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, OMCAZ President Dr Dr. Kafula Mubanga said the Minister of Energy and his team are not doing an adequate job as there is no way the Ministry would allow its wing the Energy Regulatory Board – ERB to escalate prices that the Government is not aware of.
The move follows mounting pressure on the government over nonstop energy crisis in both fuel and electricity in the country. Fuel prices continue to rise while electricity deficit deepens with more increments expected.
This twin energy crisis has already claimed two victims with the removal of the ERB board chairperson Raynolds Bowa and placement on a forced leave of the regulator’s Director General Yohane Mukabe after reportedly approving double upward adjustments of fuel pump prices and the about 10% increase in electricity tariffs without consultations with top government bosses.
Minister of Energy has been heavily criticized by industry players, experts, and concerned citizens alike, who feel that him and his team are being out of touch with the realities on the ground and insisting on policies that continue to hurt both businesses and households.
“We have said several times that Kapala is incompetent and we even ran a campaign for him to resign but we never know whosoever is protecting him but it is not in the interest of the Country.” Dr. Mubanga remarked.
According to Dr. Mubanga, the board is appointed by the Minister and reports directly to him, so Kapala must take full responsibility for the crisis.
“He must take full responsibility, and remember that the board is appointed by the Minister and they give him reports, the ratification of ERB board is also done by the Minister so these report directly to the Minister. So basically what Mweetwa is saying is that the Minister of Energy was irresponsible and how many times is the Minister of Energy going to be caught in an irresponsible position without action from the government? we are tired of that.”
“You cannot keep blaming and chasing your board chairman, and MD how do you chase the board chairman and keep the board? Kapala and his entire team should be moved because even just by the AG report it shows that there is stealing at the Ministry of Energy so it is all evident and documented.”
“What it technically means is that money has been stolen from the Zambians if the government was not consulted and Zambians should demand a refund on the prices from the suppliers of this particular product because there were no consultations. it is a crime for the ex-board chairman to have adjusted the prices without consultations.” He remarked.
Dr. Mubanga said, “the biggest problem that we have in Zambia is that we don’t want to take full responsibility and it is clear that we have been stolen from, how then does the government ensure that this money is refunded and ensure that this does not reoccur?”
