The National Initiative for Citizen’s Awareness (NICA) has condemned members of the public who are planning to demonstrate against proposed ZESCO electricity tariff increment.
In a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today, NICA president Kelvin Sampa has expressed sadness saying the development is not aimed at finding a permanent to solution to the problem.
He said people should desist from politicking about the move at the expense of development which will benefit many future Zambians and find finding a lasting solution the problem.
Mr. Sampa said currently ZESCO has a deficit in ensuring that all its customers are satisfied both locally and across the boarder due to the growing electricity demand.
He stressed that currently ZESCO has the lowest tariffs in the region which has made investors to shy away in investing in hydro power generation in the country.
Mr. Sampa said there is need for all Zambians to support the proposed hike to enhance development.
He said citizens should be made to understand on why ZESCO had come up with such proposed tariffs increments.
He explained that ZESCO needs a lot of money to upgrade, rehabilitate and construct new Power Stations hence the need to partner with other partners who will invest in the sector.
This week, some members of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) were quoted in the media as to have stated that they would conduct a peaceful demonstration over the proposed electricity tariffs.
ZESCO has proposed to increase electricity tariffs by 66 percent , whose intentions has received mixed reactions from various sectors of the economy.
ZANIS/MM/MKM/ENDS
Kelvin Sampa, Lifwekelo, Siulapwa and crew just irk my soul
These people who always stand up and utter nonsense like ..”ZESCO has the lowest tariffs in the region”…. Why don’t they also stand up and say.. “Zambia has highest fuel prices in the region, high cost of doing business, highest taxes, highest commodity price, talk about accommodation rentals, hotels, not to mention akabwali…..” So sad!!! Wonder why guys like Sampa, Lifwekelo can choose to be used when they are capable of living decent lives without involving themselves in such shameful acts.
Sampa stop pretending man. Every well meaning Zambian supports Zesco’s move. However one should not pretend thinking that in this current economic situation Zambia has found herself in, the tariffs are affordable. Know that the willingness to pay the proposed tariffs is correlated to the size of salaries prevailing in Zambia. If the salaries are fat enough, the willingness to pay increases. In concise and precise terms, well meaning Zambians are saying let the salaries be increased as well. Thus, if there is no increase in salaries then Zesco should not increase the tariffs coz people will suffer in view of the small salaries they get.
And this tendance of quoting NGO’s must be stopped. In fact this is a sign of poverty and mind incapacity to have so many NGO’s in the country. People are wasting time saying nonsense in the name of NGO so that they gain favours from Govnt. What a misplaced thinking. Instead of brainstorming on how best the country can be developed we are there forming NGO’s. Zambians let us change our mind set please.
I need a bit of help here: In the dying days of Chiluba, there were a couple of NGO which used to be very much Pro Chiluba than Chiluba himself. They were lead by two Zulus, (Zulus as in surname) can’t remember their first names. The question is where are they today?
An article on the net entitled, “The forces fighting Rupiah Banda” says the following about a Kelvin Sampa, “Kelvin’s friends think that the only reason he is staying away is because he is said to be holding in trust, Mrs. Mwanawasa’s assets, and has refused to hand-over to her as they are reportedly registered in his company. This is said to be a fleet of seven tipper trucks hired by the mines on the Copperbelt.” Is this the same Kelvin uttering rubbish about ZESCO tarriffs? If so, he should shut up his big mouth. He’s nothing but a hustler.
Kamunu Wa Milili
Those guys are Alfred Zulu from ZIMT and his “nephew” Mike Zulu from NOCE.. Their NGOs were blacklisted under LPM. As to their whereabouts, not really sure but I used to see Alfred at the School of Mines, UNZA on a regular basis during my time at UNZA, may be he wanted to venture into germstone mining or something
People like Kelvin Sampa make me sick.His briefcase NGO is not there to make people aware of anything but to deceive them.These so called NGOs are all funded by MMD government to cheat people.Its a shame that decent voices of people like Fr. Bwalya are thwarted and hustlers like this Kelvin Sampa are given the platform to echo MMD government agendas which benefit no one but themselves.
Kelvin Sampa’s wife and sister work for ZESCO.This guy can do anything to get money.
66% is not a very good number is it? Parliament is weak, politicians are corrupt and the judicial system is, to some extent, compromised. When the nation is silent it means acceptance of whatever is bestowed upon it. The French have always changed the course of government or industrial decisions by massive demostrations – peacefully. All these organisations pretending to be extra mouth piece for the people, are nothing but money making scams for the big players.
What are wages like in Zambia at the moment? Will people afford the 66% tariff hike being proposed? Price ZESCO out of business so that you buy for a song> Efyo mwaba. Another ZAMTEL/RP Capital is on the way
Meant to Read “Price ZESCO out of business so that you can later buy it for a song. Efyo Mwaba twalimishiba. Another ZAMTEL/RP Capital akalilo is on the way.
#2, I totally agree with you. These people want to argue that ZESCO has the lowest tarrif the region. But they dont want to mention that we hav the most expensive, fuel, hotel acommodation, transport fares, telephone rates, food prices etc.
#2 and 13: Zesco has no control over your salary and mine. Its job is to give you and me adequate and reliable electricity. And as experts in that area they have warned us that the tariff hike is a critical requirement to achieve those goals, otherwise there will be no power in Zambia in future, and by future I do not mean 2019. It’s not as if we did not see what happened in 2008. I think that we can only ignore Zesco’s expert advice at our own peril.
Let’s suggest something sensible, not burying our heads in sand as if we cannot see the problem
This whole comment by Kelvin is shallow to say the least.ZESCO doesn’t have the lowest tariffs in the region.Where did he get his facts from.Does he even know how power is priced.