Clive Chirwa Offers Solutions to Country’s Energy Crisis, Laments Lack of Engagement from Gov’t
Clive Chirwa Offers Solutions to Country’s Energy Crisis, Laments Lack of Engagement from Gov’t
Professor Clive Chirwa, a respected Zambian engineer, has called out the Zambian government for its apparent disinterest in his expertise and solutions to the country’s ongoing energy challenges.
Professor Chirwa, who has reportedly provided close to 100 solutions to various engineering problems in Zambia over the past 25 years, expressed frustration that none of his proposals have been implemented. In contrast, he noted that when foreigners present ideas, they are quickly acted upon.
Highlighting specific issues, Chirwa lambasted the “useless” Kariba dam rehabilitation project, which he claims is wasting nearly $1 billion of Zambia’s scarce resources, according to the EU office in Brussels. He says he has been waiting for a response to his concerns about this project.
The professor also criticized the lack of trust in local expertise, stating, “I have solutions, and we can do it. But you have to be serious.” He pointed to the “closed loop power generation” system being proposed by the Chinese, which he believes could be implemented using a $65 million solution he has devised involving a mechanically generated head over the penstokes entry locations.
Chirwa further lamented his unsuccessful attempts to meet with the Minister of Energy, the Managing Director of ZESCO, and the Permanent Secretary, all of whom declined to engage with him. He did, however, manage to meet with the Director-General of the Energy Regulation Board, who provided him with the names of key people at the Ministry of Energy.
The professor also expressed frustration with his efforts to collaborate with the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) on solar farm projects, stating that his numerous meetings in 2015 while on sabbatical at the Copperbelt University (CBU) were all in vain.
Strongly asserting that Zambia should not be experiencing load-shedding due to the country’s production capacity, Chirwa called for a serious, action-oriented approach to address the energy crisis. He offered to chair a team to solve the problem, emphasizing the need for concrete solutions rather than mere rhetoric.
“Let us do it. I can help. Let us have a team to solve this. No bla bla bla…but action people are needed. I can chair the team. We cannot be embarrassed like this in public,” Chirwa concluded.
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16th July, 2024.