The Action National Group for Emerging Leaders (ANGEL) has called on the Zambian Government to be cautious with the way it handled the proposed 66 percent electricity tariff increase by the Zambia Electricity and Supply Corporation (ZESCO).
Mr.Kawana said the tariff increase proposed by ZESCO and endorsed by the Government is a decision taken at a wrong time bearing in mind the effects of the global economic crisis and the reduction in copper prices which has seen a number of mines retrenching hundreds of workers.
Mr. Kawana said the tariff would also be unaffordable by poor Zambians and urged Government to consider maintaining the current tariff or adjust it by a minimal rate.
Mr. Kawana also has challenged the media in Zambia to desist from printing materials aimed at insulting and destroying the character of Republican President Rupiah Banda.
Speaking when he addressed members of the Press at Edinburgh Hotel in Kitwe today Mr. Kawama advised a named media house to respect the President as he was the duly elected leader of the country.
He said the President Banda should be criticised with respect and regarded as the republican President.
He added that it is wrong for the media to be showering praise on those insulting and speaking ill of the President and considering them to be heroes, a situation he described as shameful.
He further said Zambians must adopt the culture of respecting national leaders when they were still alive and not when they die.
Mr. Kawama said there can only be one President at any given time in any country hence the need for the opposition Political Party’s and the aggrieved media to rally behind the leadership of President Banda to help him contribute to the development of the country.
He called upon the opposition, the media and all stakeholders to work with the Government of the day and the republican President Rupiah Banda in view of the current global economic crisis.
ENDS/LK/PK/ZANIS
Prices up?
Should the poor Zambian people continue subsidizing large companies such as mines? ZESCO has been increasing tariffs like no man’s business. Last year alone there were at least two increases in the midst of load shedding. And you know what was surprising about this whole load shedding business was that electricity bills never reduced. Despite having no power for over 60% of the day the bills had instead increased.
ACTUALLY WE ARE ON PREPAID SUPPLY METERING SYSTEM. AVOID EXAGGERATION.
Not everyone is on prepaid metering system. Get your facts right.
What planet is Zambia in? This seems to be the only country where prices for commodities are still going up and been encouraged by our Govt.
This gov , do they really want to kill us? apart from the huge taxes we paid, increase of m/meal price, job losses as though that not enough they still want to increase electricity tariff?
The people of Zambia need help. Increasing power tarrifs now when people are losing jobs and companies closing is like asking a people who badly needs a blood transfusion to donate blood. There are certain costs which must not go up. What will be the impact of such an idea on health? I hope someone has carried out a cost benefit analysis.
Who is Kawana / Kawama? Katwishi the context n title have different spellings. Is he ANGEL president?
The title and contents of this article are inconsistent. The contents largely dwell on some chaps support of RB. Lets get focused. Zambian news is just filled whith who said what about who. A joke. Try reading the headlines for more professional media houses in the rest of the world and make comparisons..
Coming to the Zesco issue. Zesco will always propose high tarrifs. Its our duty to reject that ill timed nonsense. We already pay more per conversion currency in the region for our power.
The major problem with ZESCO is that it is too big for itself and thus fails to efficiently manage its operations.It is a big monopoly that does power generation,transmission and distribution.
It is time that ZESCO let go of the transmission and distribution side of the business.Let companies like CEC or others take over this aspect of the power business.We need smaller and more efficiently run companies to take charge.This will reduce costs and stabilize the electricity tarrifs.
ZESCO and government being the owners can concentrate on power generation(Kafue gorge Upper and lower,Kariba North Bank,Itezhi Itezhi dam e.t.c)
A Geyser will be a white elephant cos we will stop using it! The other way to beat this on prepaid meters for instance is maintain the same amount of units. If you used to buy for K100,000 per month. Continue – just cut down on usage. We all know about energy saving bulbs, etc. Beans for instance – either cook it on malasha or if on the stove, cook it in bulk & pack it in plastic bags once cooled but before additives or flavourings like tomato, onion, cooking oil etc. When next you need to eat beans – just get one plastic containing beans and add the additives & the flavourings, bring to the boil – you are home and dry! Saves loads of power! When the going gets tough – what do we do, hey!