Energy expert Boniface Zulu says Zambia must accept short-term hardship arising from cost-reflective electricity tariffs in order to secure long-term energy stability and economic growth.
Speaking to Flava News, Mr. Zulu acknowledged that higher tariffs will increase the cost of living and doing business in the short term. However, he argued that the long-term benefits outweigh the immediate challenges.
He explained that cost-reflective tariffs signal policy seriousness to financiers and attract investment into solar, hydro, coal, and other energy projects. Increased private sector participation, he said, would foster competition, improve efficiency, and eventually help stabilise tariffs.
Mr. Zulu added that financial sustainability for utilities such as ZESCO Limited and Independent Power Producers is critical for infrastructure maintenance and expansion of generation capacity.
He warned that continued reliance on electricity imports is unsustainable and urged prioritisation of domestic power generation. He also cautioned political leaders against politicising tariffs, saying populist approaches may win votes but risk prolonging load shedding and undermining industrial growth.
