PREPARE FOR MORE TOUGH TIMES UNDER THE UPND REGIME
PREPARE FOR MORE TOUGH TIMES UNDER THE UPND REGIME
….how do they increase electricity tariffs at a time when loadshedding hours are escalating? Questions the SP on the Copperbelt
Mufulira…. Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Socialist Party (SP) Copperbelt Provincial Vice Chairman Reagan Kashinga has warned that the people of Zambia should prepare for more tough times under the UPND regime as the energy crisis deepens.
Mr. Kashinga said the Government is contradicting itself by planning to increase electricity tariffs at the time hours of load shedding are escalating.
He noted that prolonging hours of load shedding will continue to weaken the local economy and sending more people into misery.
Mr. Kashinga further observed that people operating butcheries, barbershops, welding shops, saloons, computer cafe and grocery dealers are all out of business hence the need for the Government to invest in alternative sources of energy.
“We are shocked to learn about the planned increase in hours of load shedding while at the same time proposing to increase electricity tariffs. These people in Government are contracting themselves by increasing electricity tariffs at the time they are escalating hours of load shedding. Instead of subsidizing electricity for the people, the Government wants people to indirectly bail out the state through tariffs hike. These astonishing developments in the energy sector shows lack of seriousness to manage the power crisis and govern the nation,” he stated.
Mr. Kashinga said the Government’s target to produce 3 million metric tons of copper in ten years is becoming impossible due to power challenges.
“With this kind of poor governance shown by the UPND Government, we don’t see Zambia’s dead economy rising from the grave anytime soon because the energy crisis has killed SMEs who are major players in the local economy. People operating butcheries, barbershops, welding shops, saloons, computer cafe and grocery dealers are all out of business because of long hours of load-shedding. Zambia cannot talk about industrialisation without power and the SMEs. We all know that globally, multi million businesses supplement SMEs in the economy. Even the Government’s target to produce 3 million metric tons of copper in ten years looks increasingly impossible because of the power crisis,” Mr. Kashinga said.
“We thought the Government would take seriously the need to diversify energy sources amid climate change but nothing is being seen practically apart from the usual rhetoric from State House to the cadres. Zambia is in trouble; let us brace ourselves for more tough times. These are the consequences of having a regime that is out of touch and is always contradicting itself. This regime cannot be trusted anymore.”