By BRIAN HATYOKA -in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

ZAMBIA and Zimbabwe must remain focused in ensuring that the shared Zambezi River, produces more electricity and continues to provide a livelihood for people who live along it, Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma has said.
Mr Yaluma said there was need for the two countries to remain focused so that they achieve and meet the expectations of the people of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
He said the two countries should work closely in the management of Kariba Dam as well as the planned construction of Batoka Power Station on both sides of the river.
Mr Yaluma was speaking at Elephant Hills Resort in Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls town yesterday during the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) 32nd Council of Ministers meeting between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Zambia’s Mines, Energy and Water Development Permanent Secretary Emelda Chola, director at the ministry, Charles Mulenga,  ZESCO director of generation Fidelis Mubiana and Mwila Zulu from the Ministry of Finance as well as Zambia’s Solicitor General Abraham Mwansa, who is also discharging the functions of the Attorney General, were among the delegates from Zambia.
A similar delegation from the Zimbabwe Attorney General’s Chambers, Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) as well as the Ministries of Energy and Finance attended the meeting.
Mr Yaluma, who is the current Council of Ministers chairperson, thanked the outgoing chairperson for providing good leadership to the Council.
Two Batoka Gorge hydroelectric power stations for Zambia and Zimbabwe with the capacity of 80 Megawatts (MW) each would be constructed 54 kilometres downstream from Victoria Falls extending across the international boundary of the two countries.
On the other hand, Zambia and Zimbabwe need more than US$280 million to rehabilitate the Kariba Dam.
“I wish to thank the outgoing chairperson for the good work done in conducting and giving leadership to this Council and we still look forward to your full participation in trying to structure the way forward for this Council.
“You can still contribute efficiently to this Council so that we move it in the right direction. ZRA has a very huge task on their hands.
“When we started, we were looking at the Batoka Project and later we started looking at the rehabilitation of Kariba Dam,” Mr Yaluma said.
And Zimbabwe’s Energy Minister Samuel Undenge said the Council was an important meeting as it oversees the Zambezi River in connection with power generation projects on Kariba South and Kariba North between the two countries.
“It is important and an exciting moment that we are all focusing on making sure that the two countries utilises the Zambezi River to generate more electricity and also to ensure that Zambezi River continues to provide a livelihood for people who live along the River.
“To the incoming chairperson Mr Yaluma, you have played an important role in the past in ensuring that ZRA remained focused and I am excited that so many things are happening now as regards to the project,” Dr Undenge said.
He said the feasibility study for the Batoka power stations would be concluded soon after which the two countries would have financial advisors to provide the way forward on the project.