Opposition party leader Brian Mundubile is urging Zambia’s government to refuse state-owned power company ZESCO’s application to hike electricity tariffs by 37%.

The provider submitted the proposal to the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) in a bid to attract additional investment in power generation and distribution, and reduce the country’s dependence on hydro power.

Patriotic Front (PF) presidential candidate, Mundubile stated that the elevated fees would be detrimental to the most vulnerable, referring to the Seventh National Development Plan (SNDP), which aims to reduce developmental inequalities by connecting people to electricity, Lusaka Times reports. 

“Government needed to look at the cheapest way of doing so because the benefits are many,” he said.

Mundubile also stressed that connecting more of the population to electricity is key to reducing deforestation, as many people depend on forests for energy. “Connecting them to electricity would address deforestation and provide an affordable, clean source of energy,” the Lusaka Times report adds.

The opposition party leader continued that vulnerable people in rural areas won’t be able to afford the suggested elevated tariffs.

“Those that have the capacity to connect already connected. There are many people that were coming on board as a result of the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) extending connections to rural areas and this will be disturbed by the rise in tariffs,” he stated.

The suggested 37% tariff hike by ZESCO will make electricity inaccessible to a considerable section of the population. As such, Mundubile urged the government to consider alternative ways to connect people throughout the country to electricity. The UPND administration needs to find the right balance between power generation and distribution investment with affordability and accessibility for all, he added.