•FOUR-year-old Munsanje of Makululu township pumps water from a borehole.

BY SYLVIA MWEETWA –

FOR an ordinary person the move by ZESCO to light up Makululu Township in Kabwe District of the Central Province which is regarded as the highest populated township in the country, is not just amazing but more than a dream come true.
For others, the installation of electricity to various homes is the best gift the local residents have ever received as the country celebrates its 50 years  (Golden Jubilee) in October this year.
The installation of electricity has brought about joy mostly among the women and school-going children in this once dark township.
In some cases some residents were mindful of their day-to-day life because at night they were often awakened  by people chasing each  other in some cases  husbands and wives, while in other cases they were common criminals escaping from lynching from an instant mob.
Apart from the electricity, the area which was  regarded as a dark city is  also receiving  a first ever day school well as  a  local court which to many is the best jubilee celebrations gift.
For Mrs Mary Mulenga the sounds “Uyo alikwisa mwikateni,  there he is; apprehend him  was the order of the night  due  to the lack of electricity.’’
But with the connection of power, we will be able to see clearly since there will be light everywhere,”she said.
Ms Mulenga said residents will no longer be chasing after unknown assailants in the dark who often disappeared due to the darkness.
“I am excited with the connection of electricity in our community this was our cry considering that  the population here is very high and some people would use our township as a hideout for various criminal activities,’’ she said.
Another resident Anna Ngwenya, who is in the business of selling fish is of the view that the connection of electricity to the township was an answered prayer considering that for many years she had to spend a lot of  money which she would have invested in her business as she had to pay  for storage of fish at a shop where there was a fridge for fear that it might go bad being a perishable.
Mrs  Ngwenya said she no longer  has to fear losing out on her fish business because she has bought herself a refridgerator and she does not have to panic to sell her merchandise in her vicinity or  fear that it might go bad.
She  said  in times when she did not have fish in her fridge she is able to make money by keeping fish for those other fish traders  or other perishable products and also make ice blocks for sale  in the process earning herself an extra income.
She encouraged the residents, especially women to ensure that electricity is  connected to their premises if they have to enjoy the benefit of being lit up.
“I am happy that Zesco has connected electricity to my house because  apart from my fish business, I am now making  money through ice blocks, while those who want to store fish or chickens do so at a fee, thereby earning me another income,’’ she said.
Zesco  regional manager  Bright  Mulonda said the company  has so far connected 665 households in Makululu  since the project began a month ago.
Mr Mulonda  said the company has also  installed  11  transformers to assist in  connecting power to the homes of the residents and that it has plans to connect  as many homes as possible.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Mulonda recounted recently that the power utility company had connected 628 housing units  and that the programme is a continues one.
He said the project was under the Increased Access to Electricity Service  (IAES) and that the utility company plans to light up people’s homes at a  small fee and that the company was also installing prepaid meters to allow the customers control the useage of power.
“I can confirm that we have connected about 628 households since we  started the project three weeks  ago  and we are continuing with the  exercise and our plan is to connect as many households as possible, ” he said.
He said the  same  project was being  carried out in Mukonchi area of Kabwe rural targeting mostly farmers  and he was confident that the exercise would be a success.
He said  the company would  continue sensitising the community  on the importance of safeguarding the installed transformers to avoid blackouts.
Central Province  Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale said the commencement of installation of electricity to most homes in the township which has never seen electricity since independence was  a sign  of  government’s commitment  to  ensuring that development is taken to each and every corner of the country.
Ms  Mutale  said Government meant well in its  development agenda and  assured Zambians of seeing to it that every Zambian has a fair share of the national cake and that this can only be done through such programmes.
“It is good to see that Makululu Township which did not have electricity for over 50 years now has electricity as a result many families have been connected to power supply which should be commended by all  Zambians, ’’ she said.
The Permanent Secretary said it was good to see that Lukanga  Water  and Sewerage Company (LWSC) has also connected water to residents of  Makululu Township.
Over the construction of the Makululu local court which has reached an advanced stage, while construction of the first ever day school was  underway, Ms Mutale said the two facilities would serve the communities and reduce on pupils having to walk long distances.
“We want our children to go school and the construction of the school  was one way of encouraging, especially the girl-child to aspire to be in school as opposed to engaging themselves in harmful activities, ” she said.
She, however, said it was saddening that some people have started  vandalising the  facilities  aimed at servicing them and  appealed to them to guard the facilities jealously.
Recently, a  man in his 30s  of Makululu Township was electrocuted after  he allegedly attempted to drain oil from the newly-installed transformers.
It is clear that once the township is completely electrified, it will assist to  light  up the  township which  in the past was regarded as a dark continent but the story is slowly changing, especially that the country was celebrating its Golden  Jubilee this year.
Before the mining industry dried up, leaving Kabwe to look more like a ‘ghost town’ most residents resorted to involving themselves in fish trading as well as agricultural activities as a source of income.
Indeed what the people of Makululu now have, that is power can cause them to celebrate this special gift.