By Daily Revelation Editor
Economist Yusuf Dodia is saying the obvious when he says that 2024 has been one of the most difficult year ever endured by the people of this great land since the nation’s creation.
This is a year when most hardships which had started building up earlier finally converged together to create a perfect hellstorm. Almost all the prices of essential commodities and economic fundamental worsened in 2024. On the monetary side, the nation noticed the most in terms of the revisions in monetary policy to contain inflation, while inflationary pressures worsened further to now sit at 15.4 percent. The Kwacha for the first time hit K28 against US$1. The prices of essential commodities such as mealie-meal and food experienced an upswing. The nation also experienced among the worst droughts ever witnessed in this country.
To borrow from Dodia’s observations, Zambians saw two supplementary budgets among other challenges, and the worst crippling loadshedding periods ever experienced, where people have been going for days without electricity, which in the few instances it has been available, it has mainly restored at midnight when people are deep into their sleep, and taken away from them before they even woke up from their beds. The 7-hours power supply that was promised to Zambians in order to necessitate the emergency tariff hike has remained a pipedream. If anything, matters have only worsened further following the implementation of the same. It seems the main motivation for its implementation was to help Zesco make some money, with the 7-hours merely dangled as a carrot to a very desperate population that has endured so many blackouts.
Definitely, Zesco’s lies and actions have been perfectly enabled by those in government who have failed to demand accountability over the chaotic manner the loadshedding schedule has been handled by the utility company.
In a few days time, we shall be saying bye to this very difficult year. And it’s the hope of every Zambian that 2025 will not be as harsh as 2024 has been so that the long suffering people of this country can finally get a reprieve from these hardships. Zambians are hopeful that there will be an improvement in the patchy rains experienced in several provinces thus far in order to grow more food and in order to see an improvement in energy generation.
But amidst that hope, there are already some red light ahead, including the hiked energy tariffs which have been increased in advance until 2027. The cost of energy is likely to increase the cost of production, which will further feed into the general prices of goods and services. The Kwacha, which also embarked on the downward spiral in 2022 and has no shown no signs of improving is also serious cause for concern as the same will only exacerbate inflationary pressures further.
Those in government therefore have their work cut out for 2025 to try to improve things in the country, especially with only one year to go before the 2026 general elections. One can arguably say that 2025 is the only year they have to improve things as all the positive trends that may come up in 2026, even those born from their hard work, might be interpreted as simply electioneering by the general public.
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By Daily Revelation Editor
Economist Yusuf Dodia is saying the obvious when he says that 2024 has been one of the most difficult year ever endured by the people of this great land since the nation’s creation.
This is a year when most hardships which had started building up earlier finally converged together to create a perfect hellstorm. Almost all the prices of essential commodities and economic fundamental worsened in 2024. On the monetary side, the nation noticed the most in terms of the revisions in monetary policy to contain inflation, while inflationary pressures worsened further to now sit at 15.4 percent. The Kwacha for the first time hit K28 against US$1. The prices of essential commodities such as mealie-meal and food experienced an upswing. The nation also experienced among the worst droughts ever witnessed in this country.
To borrow from Dodia’s observations, Zambians saw two supplementary budgets among other challenges, and the worst crippling loadshedding periods ever experienced, where people have been going for days without electricity, which in the few instances it has been available, it has mainly restored at midnight when people are deep into their sleep, and taken away from them before they even woke up from their beds. The 7-hours power supply that was promised to Zambians in order to necessitate the emergency tariff hike has remained a pipedream. If anything, matters have only worsened further following the implementation of the same. It seems the main motivation for its implementation was to help Zesco make some money, with the 7-hours merely dangled as a carrot to a very desperate population that has endured so many blackouts.
Definitely, Zesco’s lies and actions have been perfectly enabled by those in government who have failed to demand accountability over the chaotic manner the loadshedding schedule has been handled by the utility company.
In a few days time, we shall be saying bye to this very difficult year. And it’s the hope of every Zambian that 2025 will not be as harsh as 2024 has been so that the long suffering people of this country can finally get a reprieve from these hardships. Zambians are hopeful that there will be an improvement in the patchy rains experienced in several provinces thus far in order to grow more food and in order to see an improvement in energy generation.
But amidst that hope, there are already some red light ahead, including the hiked energy tariffs which have been increased in advance until 2027. The cost of energy is likely to increase the cost of production, which will further feed into the general prices of goods and services. The Kwacha, which also embarked on the downward spiral in 2022 and has no shown no signs of improving is also serious cause for concern as the same will only exacerbate inflationary pressures further.
Those in government therefore have their work cut out for 2025 to try to improve things in the country, especially with only one year to go before the 2026 general elections. One can arguably say that 2025 is the only year they have to improve things as all the positive trends that may come up in 2026, even those born from their hard work, might be interpreted as simply electioneering by the general public.
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