Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
President Edgar Lungu has directed ZESCO to with immediate effect revert back to the old electricity tariffs which were hiked late last year.
Amos Chanda
The President’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda has confirmed the development this afternoon.
Mr. Chanda has disclosed to Qfm News by telephone that the directive was to be effected on 1st January last week but could not be implemented there and then due the holidays.
He explains that the directive by President Lungu will thus be implemented with effect from tomorrow Monday the 4th of January.
Asked whether government’s position on the need for Zambia to migrate to cost reflective tariffs has changed in view of this directive, Mr. Chanda has clarified that the position has not changed.
Mr. Chanda explained that the process of migrating to cost reflective electricity tariffs will be done in phased and systematic manner.
He notes that the idea is to ensure the migration process does not hurt the poor.
The President’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations says this means that the program to migrate to cost reflective electricity tariffs will not be sudden.
He says in order to make all things clear the Minister of Energy Dora Siliya will issue a comprehensive statement to give guidelines of the migration process will be rolled out.