RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ACT

Arrangement of Sections

   Section

PART I
PRELIMINARY

   1.   Short title

   2.   Interpretation

PART II
THE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AUTHORITY

   3.   Establishment of Authority

   4.   Functions of Authority

   5.   Authority not to be subject to direction control of other person

   6.   Composition of Authority

   7.   Tenure of office and vacancy

   8.   Filling of casual vacancy

   9.   Proceedings of Authority

   10.   Committees of Authority

   11.   Allowances of members

   12.   Disclosure of interests

   13.   Prohibition of publication or disclosure

   14.   Seal of Authority

PART III
SECRETARIAT

   15.   Constitution of Secretariat and definition of its functions

   16.   Director

   17.   Secretary and other staff

PART IV
THE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION FUND

   18.   Establishment of Rural Electrification Fund

   19.   Application of moneys of Fund

PART V
FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

   20.   Funds of Authority

   21.   Investment of funds

   22.   Financial year

   23.   Accounts

   24.   Annual report

   25.   Regulations

AN ACT

to establish the Rural Electrification Authority and to define its functions; to establish the Rural Electrification Fund; and to provide for matters connected with or incidental to the foregoing.

[12th December, 2003]

Act 20 of 2003,

Act 20 of 2021.

PART I
PRELIMINARY

1.   Short title

This Act may be cited as the Rural Electrification Act.

2.   Interpretation

   (1) in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires

"Authority" means the Rural Electrification Authority established by section 3;

"Chairperson" means the person appointed as Chairperson of the Authority under section 6;

"Committee" means a committee of the Authority established under section 10;

"Director" means the person appointed as Director under section 16;

"Fund" means the Rural Electrification Fund established by section 8;

"Member" means a member of the Authority or a committee of the Authority;

"rural area" means

   (a)   any area which is not an area declared or deemed to have been declared a city or municipality under the Local Government Act; or

   (b)   such other area as the Minister may, by statutory order and in consultation with the Minister responsible for local government, declare a rural area;

"Secretariat" means the Secretariat of the Authority constituted under section 15.

PART II
THE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AUTHORITY

3.   Establishment of Authority

There is hereby established the Rural Electrification Authority which shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal, capable of suing and of being sued in its corporate name, and with power, subject to the provisions of this Act, to do all such acts and things as a body corporate may by law do or perform.

4.   Functions of Authority

   (1) The functions of the Authority shall be to

   (a)   administer and manage the Rural Electrification Fund;

   (b)   develop, implement and update rural electrification master plans for the systematic electrification of rural areas;

   (c)   promote the utilization of available rural electrification technological options to enhance the contribution of energy to the development of agriculture, industry, mining and other economic activities in rural areas;

   (d)   mobilise funds from within and outside Zambia in support of rural electrification;

   (e)   offer, on a competitive basis, the construction of rural electrification projects and periodically publish information on programmes being carried out;

   (f)   design and offer, on a competitive basis, to developers or operators, smart subsidies for capital costs on projects that are designed to supply energy for development of rural areas;