Ndola — The repeated power outages which have been experienced countrywide in the last few days are certainly a source of concern and do not auger well for anyone.

Electricity is an essential utility and is a prime mover in just about all areas of human activity and in its absence or when supplies are disturbed, these socio-economic activities are affected and usually grind to a halt.

Institutions such as hospitals, industry, telecommunications, the service sectors, and agriculture as well are heavily dependent on a reliable electricity supply system. In the space of three days, the country has been hit by major and lengthy power outages with some telling effects on production activities.

The power outages whose cause the country's electricity utility Zesco is still trying to fully establish, have created an uproar not only among industrial users but also among domestic consumers. Some of this outage has even assumed extreme forms in Lusaka with some irate members of the public taking the law into their own hands and resorting to acts of lawlessness.

The action by some residents of Mandevu township who ran amok destroying at least seven motor vehicles in an orgy of destruction in protest against the power outages is most unfortunate. More so that the vehicles and other property which were destroyed during the fracas, belonged to equally affected members of the public who were not in any way responsible for the blackout.

But now they have been unwittingly turned into innocent victims of the power failures in a matter over which they have no control and are not in any way, connected to save for the fact that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The power blackouts have hit the country at an emotive period when members of the public are eagerly looking forward to catching live action from the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations championship which kicked off at the weekend.

It is against such a background that we welcome the appeal by the Vice-President, Rupiah Banda for calm in the country as Zesco grapples with the problems and tries to come up with a lasting solution to the satisfaction of all. These problems of power blackouts have affected not only Zambia but neighbouring countries as well.

As things stand now, the entire southern African region faces a looming power shortage and Zambians will do well to focus on finding solutions, not looting.