The 50 per cent electricity tariff adjustment proposed by ZESCO on 1st May has been condemned.
Civil Society for Poverty Reduction CSPR says that effecting the whole 50 per cent increment at once is too huge for consumers to take.
CSPR Information and Communication Officer, Maxson Nkhoma says that the move will affect majority businesses particularly small enterprises and may result in job losses as companies will be trying to develop surviving strategies for their businesses.
Mr. Nkhoma says that CSPR wishes to advise ERB, the Energy Regulation Board to only allow increment of power tariff in a phased manner of at least 40 per cent over a period of one year.
He says that this will give consumers a space to adjust their businesses without causing major changes in prices of goods and services.
ZESCO has applied to increase tariffs by 75 per cent, in two phases of 50 per cent on 1st May and 25 per cent in September this year.
And Mr. Nkhoma notes that the increment of electricity tariffs is inevitable due to the high cost of investments the government has made to increase power generation and transmission in the past few years.