‘ELECTRICITY TARIFF ADJUSTMENT SHOULD ACCOMMODATE THE POOR’

ENSURE that the proposed electricity tariff adjustment does not take us back to the old days where access to power was only for the rich, Chama North Member of Parliament, Yotum Mtayachalo, has urged government.

Mr. Mtayachalo said in an interview that the government would do well to consider the plight of the poor as they con sider increasing the tariffs to avoid taking the country back to the UNIP days where only the rich had access to electricity.

However, Energy minister, Peter Kapala has guaranteed that there would not be an in crement in electricity tariffs until the cost of service study which is under review was completed.

Mr Mtayachalo said the proposed increment in the electricity connection fee was too high for the poor Zambians who are in the majority, to af ford and if effected, achieving the vision 2030 on univer sal access to electricity for all Zambians would be an illusion.

“Surely how do you come up with an outrageous increment from K779 to K4, 600 for cus tomers in high density areas and K13, 300 from K2, 873 for low density areas in a country were poverty levels are very high,” he said.

Mr. Mtayachalo said al though ZESCO imports mate rial for power supply at a high price, it was not an excuse for proposing extreme fees despite knowing very well that only a few people would be able to connect to electricity.

He urged the government to come up with a fair adjustment to the proposed electricity con nection fees so that the ma jority of Zambians could have access to electricity.