ZESCO proposed connection fees will hurt the poor more, as HH breaches election promises – GBM

Patriotic Front Chairman for Mobilization and Presidential Aspiring candidate Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) says President Hichilema has breached his electoral promise to lower the cost of living.

GBM said the proposed fees by the state-owned electricity company that will see new connection fees rise from K769 to K4,600, for instance, is a serious breach of electoral promises which motivated the voters to hand over their mandate to him.

He said the willful failure to meet electoral promises is a flagrant display of disrespect and disregard for the voters and a threat to the integrity of politics.

Mwamba said it is this kind of conduct that has brought the otherwise honorable practice of politics into disrepute earning the term “politics is dirty” and that “politicians cannot be trusted”.

“It is clear, President Hichilema has failed to introduce the required public policies to improve the living standards of the majority poor and to reduce the cost of living. Instead, the former Member of Parliament says, the cost of living has eluded him as he helplessly watches prices of every essential commodity rising before his own eyes.

“This man boasted so much about his economic management credentials, he made most voters believe that indeed he held a magic wand in his hands which will, immediately following August 12, 2021, all prices will suddenly go down.

“If this man is not careful, he will go down Zambia’s history as the greatest betrayal in public service that ever was, said GBM.

He said access to electricity, affordable electricity is recognized globally by governments, international development institutions and development experts as foundational to improved living standards.

“Electricity is not a luxury to be available only to the rich and a few middle-class families, it must be the goal of every government to facilitate access by all,” he said.

GBM said using cost-reflectiveness as justification for the proposed increase in electricity connection fees will leave more people in the dark who will be forced to turn to charcoal which in turn will perpetuate deforestation.

“Eventually, all the efforts being made in the context of climate change and decarbonization will be mere rhetoric”, said GBM