After a statewide power outage, miners at two copper mines in Zambia were rescued after being stranded underground, the country’s energy ministry announced Monday.

According to national utility company, Zesco, Zambia had a statewide blackout on Sunday as a result of a power system disruption that also impacted neighbouring Zimbabwe.

The greatest drought in decades has affected hydropower output in Zambia and Zimbabwe, resulting in extended hours of electricity rationing.

According to Peter Mumba, Zambia’s permanent secretary for energy, miners were stranded at two mines: one in China and the other at Mopani Copper Mines, which is mostly controlled by International Resources Holding of the United Arab Emirates.

He claimed that every miner had been rescued, however, he did not specify the number of trapped workers.

Zesco Acting Managing Director Justin Longo, supply to all mining businesses in the second-largest copper producer in Africa was entirely restored by around 0130 GMT, and by 0400 GMT, to the rest of the nation.

Longo stated that the source of the outage was being looked into and that the Kariba dam’s extremely low production made it impossible for it to have been brought on by electricity generated there.

Due to a shortage of water, the Kariba North Bank Power Station, Zambia’s largest hydroelectric power plant with an installed capacity of 1080 megawatts (MW), is presently only producing 120 MW.

“We are just keeping the plant running with one unit, which is not even running at maximum capacity,” said Mukupa Mulenga, the station’s maintenance manager.

The Patriotic Front (PF) faction led by former Zambian President, Edgar Lungu, has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of politicizing traditional ceremonies and turning cultural events into platforms for political rallies aimed at promoting the ruling UPND.

Chairperson for Information and Publicity of the major opposition party, Emmanuel Mwamba, who made the allegations in a statement in Lusaka on Monday,
claimed that political activities had been “visibly integrated into every traditional ceremony that President Hichilema has attended or officiated in recent times.”

Mwamba stated that traditional ceremonies had increasingly become political events, where traditional leaders and opposition lawmakers were gathered to endorse Hichilema and pledge allegiance to his government.

“Pictures from these ceremonies clearly depict a disturbing trend, with UPND regalia visibly scattered throughout the crowd,” Mwamba said in the statement.

He also criticised the head of state for recognising Mafinga MP, Robert Chabinga, as the Leader of the opposition in Parliament and PF Acting President, despite ongoing legal proceedings regarding the matter.

“President Hichilema openly shows contempt by recognising Chabinga, even when the matter remains active in court,” Mwamba said.

He further accused the president of using traditional ceremonies as platforms to engage in hate speech and to parade members of the opposition and PF defectors, nothing that the practice is capable of sowing discord and undermining unity within the opposition.

“This hypocrisy is evident. When he was in the opposition, President Hichilema punished UPND MPs, mayors, and council chairpersons for merely welcoming President Edgar Lungu in their districts,” he added.

Mwamba cited the cases of Kaoma Council Chairperson Bindundu Mutti and Kafue Council Chairperson Thomas Zulu, who were expelled from the UPND for welcoming Lungu during his national duties.

He also referenced the suspension of Prof. Geoffrey Lungwangwa and Hon. Teddy Kasonso for supporting Bill 10, which he argued showed Hichilema’s intolerance of differing views and his violation of parliamentary independence.

He therefore, urged traditional leaders to recognise the alleged threat that Hichilema poses to cultural events and to ensure that such ceremonies were not politicised, despite the pressure from State House.