FIGHT Inequality Alliance (FIA) Zambia, says the removal of subsidies on energy and subsequent increase in electricity tariffs and fuel pump prices has only achieved the perpetuation of inequality.
Mputa Ngalande, the FIA Zambia National Coordinator says small scale businesses rely on electricity but are already struggling with more than eight hours of load shedding, which he says is another form of inequality.
Mr. Ngalande said ZESCO was not sticking to the schedule of its load shedding as programmed, thereby affecting small scale businesses, which have to endure long hours of non-productivity.
He said electricity tariffs increase would adversely disadvantage small scale businesses such as barber shops, saloons and welders.
Mr. Ngalande said mines were owing ZESCO a lot of money as they consumed more than ordinary people, hence the need to protect citizens.
“We are taking away more from the population. Consumption of electricity from small scale businesses and homes is not as much as compared to the mines. If we look at multinational corporations and how much they owe ZESCO, it is huge but ordinary people continue to be on the receiving end of policies,” Mr Ngalande said.
The FIA Zambia National Coordinator said bad policies such as the ones on energy had kept pushing people who were already living on the frontlines of inequality into more poverty.
“This is because people need to pay more for transport because subsidies were removed on fuel. We also need to pay more for electricity. We urge Authorities to reconsider some policies to implement those that speak to cushioning citizens which is the major responsibility of the Government,” he said.
Mr. Ngalande said Government had a responsibility to give cushion citizens from economic crises and hardships instead on managing the country as if it was a limited company whose focus was to make capital profits.
