PF LEFT US$90M POWER DEBT – KOPE 

By Adrian Mwanza

THE Patriotic Front (PF) left a total debt of US$90 million owed to Aggreko from its ship that docked at the coast of Mozambique to supply electricity to Zambia, United Party for National Development (UPND) Information Publicity Secretary Francis Kope has charged.

Mr. Kope in an interview said that the previous Government did not clear the balance of US$90 million to the firm that supplied electricity making it difficult for the new Government to get power.

Mr. Kope said that the true figure was US$90 million and that it was difficult for the government to broker new deals because they were contractual obligations.

“We want to challenge the previous Government to tell the Zambians the truth about the debt they left for the electricity deal involving Aggreko because they left a huge debt since they failed to settle the balance of US$90 million,” Mr. Kope said.

He said it was quite a challenge because the country was grappling with a serious drought situation and that load shedding had now become rampant.

He said it was difficult for the current Government to import power from Mozambique because the shipping company that was supplying was now refusing as a result of the same debt.

He said that it was wrong for the PF to criticize the current Government when it was them that caused the confusion.

“It is wrong for the PF members to paint the current Government black when it was them that caused the problems,” he said.