The Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) has called on President Edgar Lungu to stop the proposed increase of electricity tariffs by Zesco.
ZACA Executive Secretary Juba Sakala says the hike will have adverse effects on the lives of consumers.
Mr. Sakala says apart from the drastic increase in the price of power, the hike will trigger increase in the cost of production leading to overall increase in the cost of living.
“Life in Zambia has become very expensive even for the workers whose purchasing power has slowly but surely been eroded over the last few years due to constant hikes in the costs of goods and services. Our kwacha has lost power. The majority of the Zambians cannot shoulder yet another episode of gruesome price increases. Zesco is simply passing on the cost of inefficiency to consumers. We must deal with Zesco first,” he said.
“We therefore wish to warn the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) not to connive with Zesco to increase electricity tariffs and hurt consumers. As a consumer body we think that it’s high time that the leadership of this country took interest in the way in which people are surviving in these hard times.”
He said the leaders have a stately duty to make life more bearable for the majority.