. Yaluma

By ANTHONY MULOWA  in Dar es Salaam –
ZAMBIA, Tanzania and Kenya have signed the Framework Agreement which would culminate into the signing of the official document to kick start the long-awaited Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) power interconnector project.
The signing ceremony took place at Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam yesterday where all the three countries re-energised their efforts and commitments to ensure that the project which had been pending for over a decade was realised.
Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma signed the agreement on behalf of Zambia while Tanzanian Minister of Energy and Minerals, Sospeter Muhango and Kenya Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Davis Chirchir signed for the other two countries respectively.
In his remarks during the official opening of the 10th Ministers meeting, Mr Yaluma said there was need to redefine the way forward for the implementation of the ZTK power interconnector project.
Mr Yaluma who reaffirmed the commitment of the Zambian Government to the realisation of the ZTK power interconnector project said over the last few years the three countries had been working hard to implement the project.
He was however disappointed at the slow pace the project was taking shape and called for its accelerated implementation.
“This project is brilliant and has numerous benefits which include poverty reduction. We want to ensure that even people in rural areas enjoy the benefits of electricity,” he said.
The ZTK power interconnector project would link the Eastern African Power Pool (EAPP) to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
The project will promote electricity trade, enhance trade and security of electricity supply and foster regional integration.
Mr Yaluma said the project would further stimulate investment in power generation to meet demand from the large market that would be created by the interconnection.
The main document, the Heads of Agreement is expected to be signed in Livingstone in Zambia on November 3, 2014, after being cleared by respective Attorney Generals.
Professor Muhango said to move the project further, individual countries had agreed to build power lines across their countries to connect to the borders linking the three countries.
Prof Muhango said Africa had a serious power deficit and that 75 per cent of the population on the continent had no access to electricity.
Mr Chirchir said there was urgent need to interconnect power supply among the three countries.
Mr Chirchir said Kenya was committed to ensuring that the project succeeded and had embarked on a number of projects that speed up the process.
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Assistant Secretary General Kipyego Cheruget, said he was happy that a milestone had been achieved in the implementation process of the ZTK power interconnector following the Dar es Salaam meeting.
Dr Cheruget said he was hopeful that the main agreement would be signed so that the project could be executed.