Zesco can’t be trusted 

By Daily Revelation Editor 

Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) president Ashu Saga is skeptical that Zesco will deliver on their promises following the hiked electricity tariffs for three months, effective November 01, 2024 to January 31, 2025

Saga is calling for fair treatment of consumers following the Energy Regulation Board’s move to approve the hikes, saying the increment had raised concerns among manufacturers and consumers who expected efficient service delivery, especially with the increased costs.

“You can’t charge more for a service and not deliver. That’s unacceptable,” Saga said to Daily Revelation Newspaper. “The onus lies with ZESCO to demonstrate accountability and efficiency.”

We agree with Saga, like many Zambians out there who are enduring darkness, with many having lost their sources of livelihood as a result, that it is unacceptable to raise tariffs without benefiting consumers.

And like Saga, Zambians are skeptical that Zesco will fulfil their end of the bargain. And that skepticism is justifiable considering how insolently Zesco has treated Zambians, with the support of the government, where they have failed to keep their own word since this whole darkness period started. This is a utility company that has failed to adhere to its own loadshedding schedule, while engaging in the exchange of lies with their parents in the Ministry of Energy. Where once for instance the permanent secretary Peter Mumba said that everything would be normalised following the normalisation in the Inter-connector in Namibia, the very next day he was contradicted by his subordinates at Zesco announcing more doom because the same Inter-connector had not been resolved.

At one point, Energy minister Makozo Chikote announced that the country would go into 17 hours of loadshedding in anticipation of the megawatts that would be taken off the grid at Maamba Collieries and other power plants. However, from the 14-15 hours daily loadshedding, the nation went straight into 21-hours, and in several instances days, without actually experiencing the same already severe 17-hours. And like the utility firm he leads, Chikote has seen no need to actually apologise to the masses for the lies. It has been lies upon lies.

Some may even conclude that the hiked tariffs have actually been enforced primarily to help Zesco make more money, not because those in power really care whether you have electricity in your homes. Therefore, people must brace for more excuses from Zesco when it starts to become clear that they are failing to live up to their promises to ensure Zambians have at least 7-hours of electricity daily, once these hikes take effect. 

The lies from Zesco should actually tell people more about a society we have become where leaders have developed the art of lying, knowing full well that they will not be held accountable for the same, that they will simply cover up the lies with more sweeter lies. 

Zambians are urged to watch Zesco in terms of ensuring that they live up to their end of the bargain.