The Kariba Dam was opened in 1960 to supply Hydro Electric Power (H.E.P.) to both Zambia and Zimbabwe. The demand for electricity was much higher in Zambia and Zimbabwe than in most other countries of tropical Africa.
Before 1960, most of the electricity used in the two countries was generated at thermal power stations, which mainly burnt coal from Wankie Coal fields in Zimbabwe. Coal had to be imported from South Africa and the United States in addition to the local wood fuel. The high demand for energy necessitated the development of alternative source of energy. This energy was to be used in:

The concentration, smelting and refining of copper ore, particularly in the Zambian Copper belt.
The manufacture of iron and steel located at Redcliff near Que-Que in Zimbabwe.
People's homes especially the heavily populated areas of the copper belt, in Zambia, the mines and farms in Zimbabwe.

Other industries dealing with Asbestos, cement products, brewery, clothing, flour milling, furniture, meat canning, metal products, motor vehicle assembly, soft drinks bottling, sugar refinery, leather products, which are located in different towns in both Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Kariba dam was the first power project in Africa. It was established on River. Zambezi on the south bank of Kariba Gorge. Transmission lines were built to carry electricity to the Zambian copper belt and to the Harare and Bulawayo areas of Zimbabwe.

Zambia has been eager to develop her own H.E.P. potential in order to avoid having to depend on electricity upon the Kariba power station in Zimbabwe. For that reason therefore, a dam and a power station were established on R. Kafue in 1971. Since then, another dam with a lake behind was built further upstream on R. Kafue at Iteshi Teshi.

Map of south-central Africa showing major Hydroelectric power schemes