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Two suspects involved in the theft of ZESCO cables were arrested in Kitwe by a combined team of Zambia Police, ZESCO security and their colleagues from Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC). The two suspects identified as 34-year old Alias Mbulo of Kitwes Chimwemwe township and Daka Mwewa of Buchi township were arrested for being in possession of suspected stolen ZESCO cables on Sunday 30th October 2022. A combined patrol team of Zambia Police, ZESCO security and Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) intercepted Mbulo along the Kitwe-Kalulushi road after noticing that the Motor vehicle he was driving, a Toyota Carina, Registration Number ACJ 6627 was evidently overloaded and struggling to move. Upon stopping and searching the vehicle, the officers discovered cables reasonably suspected to have been obtained from vandalized electricity installations. Four suspects bolted from the scene upon seeing the police officers, abandoning Mbulo who was driving the car. The vehicle was impounded while Mbulo was arrested and detained at Kitwe Central Police station. Later, Mbulo led the combined security team to the residence of Daka Mwewa aged 25 of Buchi township. Daka Mwewa is one of the four suspects that fled from the vehicle which was impounded by the police. After interrogations, the suspect led ZESCO security team to substation CBD 0201 in First Kwacha township, where they had cut and stolen 50 millimeter square x 1 single core x 15m ZESCO cables. The value of the stolen cables is Thirty Two Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty Four Kwacha Eight-Eight ngwee., (K32,734.88). Materials worth Ten Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Kwacha and Twenty-Ngwee (K10,880.20) were recovered. A criminal case has been instituted against the two suspects who are currently detained at Riverside Police station. The two suspects will appear in court soon. However, investigations will continue until the arrest of the remaining suspects. ZESCO will continue working with citizens to avert vandalism and theft of key electricity installation, a vice that costs the power utility millions of kwacha annually.

ZESCO has set itself on a path to becoming a fully digital utility by 2025. Digital transformation is the adoption of digital technology to transform services or businesses, through replacement of non-digital or manual processes with digital processes. It also includes replacement of older digital technology with newer digital technology. Leading the Corporation’s digital transformation journey is the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) department, with whose ingenuity, several home-grown initiatives and systems have been implemented. This development is consistent with the new business ethos that espouse efficiency and effectiveness for service excellence. The home-grown solutions developed by enthusiastic and innovative in-house teams have positively impacted business operations arising from improved efficiency and reduced costs associated with consultancy, support, and maintenance. The recently created systems include: Budget Management System (BMS) The Budget Management System has been developed to automate the budgeting process which has been based on a manual process using excel sheets. The system now allows for the users to submit their budgets using an online process which has a number of advantages including: • Speeding up the budgeting process • Standardizing the process • Centralized reporting and visibility before approvals at different levels are done. • Bringing up budgeting controls and easing the approval process • Minimizes risk of duplications during the budgeting process This system went live on 24 August 2022, and has been deployed for the 2023 budget compilation. System orientation of end users by the Investments and Finance Directorate is underway. Subsistence Management System (SMS) The Subsistence Management System has been developed to manage subsistence processing which was being done through a manual process using physical application forms. Users can now apply for subsistence allowances using the online system and have all the approval done online. The system has the following advantages: • Speedy and efficient processing of subsistence claims, thereby enabling operational efficiency • Effective record management and reporting • Better controls in the processing of subsistence claims • Minimized risk due to potential fraudulent acts associated with manual processing The system went live on 29 August 2022 and a phased roll-out has been planned as follows; • 12 September 2022 – Corporate • 19 September 2022 – Lusaka Division • 26 September 2022 – Company wide Value Business Management System (VBMS) The Value Based Meeting Management is a system designed to run meetings and meeting appointments to replace the eBoard system. The functionalities are the same as those of the eBoard but with improved features that where not possible with eBoard. The key system features and benefits of the VBMS are as follows; • Real-time meeting notification upon setup and members creation. • Meeting scheduling including meeting links into email notification. • Document uploading and listing of the meeting attendants by the meeting secretary. • The creation of more than one company (this means subsidiaries can be added). • As an internally developed system, it helps cut costs associated with the use of a vendor supplied system This system went live on 2 September 2022. The main users are the Procurement Department and the Corporate Leadership Team, including any other users holding high value meetings. Contract Management System (CMS) The Contract Management System is intended to replace the manual process of capturing contracts details into excel documents for purpose of tracking their progression. The system provides an online platform for monitoring contracts, which offers the following system features: • Capturing of tender details • Capturing of contract details • Capturing of contract addendums • Capturing of contract security details • Submission of contract managers’ monthly status report • Automated broadcast of notifications and reminders to Procurement Officers as well as Project Managers, informing them of contract events that are falling due. This system goes live on 29 September 2022. Team ICT is readily available to offer any clarifications and technical assistance, and is reachable on isd@zesco.co.zm.

A team of long serving ZESCO Limited employees has bade farewell to the Corporation on early retirement basis having served the Company, some for as long as 30 years. The separation is premised on ZESCO Management’s acceptance of their request for early retirement. During the meeting held on September 1st, 2022, at Mulungushi Conference Centre, Director - Human Capital and Development, Mr. Maxwell Saya, thanked them for their long and diligent service to the organisation, stating that their contribution was invaluable to the growth of ZESCO as a business and that the fruits of their labour were traceable to some of the Company’s noticeable milestones. Management further committed to support the retired employees through prompt payment of their various severance entitlements. The retired employees were also advised to invest their money wisely. ZESCO wishes the retirees only the very best in all their future endeavours. Published by ZESCO Corporate Affairs