REA RECEIVES KUDOS FOR PARTNERING WITH COUNCIL TO DRIVE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAM

Zambia has revised its target to attaining 51-percent Universal Rural Electrification, implying that the target must be reached in 2026 and not the initial 2030.  

Zambia's electricity access rate in rural areas currently stands at 5-percent.  

The Rural Electrification Authority-REA, an institution tasked to undertake this assignment is leaving no stone unturned by applying all efforts to ensure the target is attained and that no rural parts of the country are left behind in as far as access to electricity is concerned.

REA's Master plan for rural Electrification which has set ambitious targets for increasing access to electricity ,has identified 1,217 rural growth centers throughout the country.

In order to speed up the task bestowed upon it , REA has established partnerships with the local authorities countrywide as a vehicle for delivering electricity to the doorstep of rural citizens,

 through signing of Memorandum of Understandings-MOUs with them.

Each constituency is allocating one million Kwacha from their 28.5 million Kwacha Constituency Development Fund-CDF 2023 allocation towards electrification purposes within the areas.

By so doing each constituency is required to identify what is termed as Priority Rural Electrification Projects-PREP.

By entering into an MOU with rural constituencies, REA is either providing technical support or some funding to implement the projects in these areas.

According to REA Corporate Affairs Manager, Justin Mukosa the Authority is targeting to sign a Memorandum of Understandings with 80 constituencies by the end of 2023 while aiming to electrify 64 development projects in rural areas.

Mr Mukosa indicated that "the Authority is however optimistic that looking at the pace at which things are moving there is a possibility of it surpassing its target."

"As at present [30 October,2023 ], REA has so signed 62 Memorandum of Understandings with local authorities," said Mr Mukosa.

Some pictures for illustration purpose of some of the MOUs REA has signed with some council

Picture credit REA

The initiative by REA has also cheered the House of Chief as Chairperson, Chief Kaputa who is based in the Northern province believes that it will help in addressing acts of deforestation especially that most people in rural areas depend on charcoal as a source of energy.

"I can only think of people taking advantage of the availability of electricity [in their areas] to buy electric appliances such as fridges and stoves. And when you talk of stoves they reduce the use of firewood and subsequently help preserve our forests. So just on that score, the initiative to drive rural electrification through collaboration with the council is a positive move," House of Chiefs Chairperson, Chief Kaputa who is based in the Northern province.

Chief Kaputa urged other traditional leaders across the country to "sensitize their subject" by underlining the benefits which will come with the electrification of their areas.

He also encouraged REA to continue exploring different initiatives to ensure that as many people as possible have access to electricity in rural parts of the country.

Commenting on REA's  initiative [ the signing of a Memorandum of Understandings-MOUs between REA and local authorities,] a Lusaka-based Energy Expert Boniface Zulu expressed optimism that the authority is on the right trajectory in as far as its mandate is concerned.

He applauded the initiative highlighting its potential to significantly alleviate energy poverty in rural communities of the country.

 

Engineer Zulu emphasized that local authorities do not only have a better understanding of challenges of lack of electricity within their locality but also the critical areas which need to be prioritized when it comes to electrification of rural areas.

“REA needs to be encouraged to continue working hand in hand with local authorities especially the councils in order to bridge the electricity access gap in rural areas,” Engineer Zulu said.

Engineer Zulu also called on the government to continue supporting the authority in its quest to ensure all citizens have access to electricity. 

He said with the current low electricity access rate in the country, hovering around 31 percent, Engineer Zulu commends REA's initiative, predicting its potential to drive economic and social development.

Engineer Zulu further noted that the limited electricity access is a hindrance to the country's economic growth, which he said demonstrates that energy is the crucial catalyst for the nation's economy.

“The low access to electricity is an impediment to growing the country’s economy and so we expect that going forward there will be massive development in rural areas as energy is the key driver to the economy,” he said.