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Zimbabwe’s power cuts cripple business

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BY MARKO PHIRI 

Electricity outages have escalated in Zimbabwe, with the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) citing vandalism of its infrastructure, but experts say power generation is being crippled by a lack of investment in renewable energy. 

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In recent days, power outages have worsened, even before last week’s announcement that the country’s Kariba power station was shutting down because of low dam levels

Load-shedding has seen some parts of the country experiencing 24-hour blackouts, disrupting all economic activity, from heavy industrial sites and central business districts to backyard workshops.

Naboth Zondo, who earns a living at his home as a welder, knows this painfully well. If there is no electricity, he does not eat. 

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“It’s as simple as that,” he says. “What do you do when electricity is restored at one o’clock in the morning and disappears before the sun comes up?” 

He is not alone.

Families still able to stock their fridges complain about food spoiling, worsened by the power utility no longer publishing a fixed schedule of electricity cuts.

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“You cannot plan anything. You watch as food rots. Why bother to complain, and to whom?” asks Wellington Tshuma, as butcheries race to save their businesses.

In Bulawayo’s Kelvin North, light industries, touted by the small enterprises ministry as the answer to the country’s high unemployment levels where skilled and unskilled artisans can be found working as welders and motor mechanics, daily power outages have meant lost incomes.

During electricity blackouts, Ntando Nleya can be found whiling away the boredom playing checkers with his colleagues.“We have to come here every day even if we know there is no guarantee of electricity. It’s better than staying at home and still doing nothing,” he says.

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Backyard electricity consumers are considered small fry as energy-guzzling sectors such as mining and agriculture have taken a huge knock because of power uncertainty.

Early this year, the mining and farming sectors pleaded with the government for them to be exempted from load-shedding, citing loss of working hours and revenue.

A 2019 African Development Bank (AfDB) report said electricity shortages in Zimbabwe remained one of the major structural constraints facing the mining sector, despite its potential to change the country’s economic fortunes.

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“There is undeniable evidence that the development of reliable, adequate, low-priced power can contribute significantly to the efficient and effective functioning of the Zimbabwe economy and the maintenance of Zimbabweans’ standard of living,” the AfDB report said, at a time when numerous studies and reports note that the country’s standard of living has decreasedZesa, a state-owned enterprise, has routinely blamed extended power blackouts on the vandalism of its infrastructure by thieves who steal copper cables and drain transformer oil.

But the Zambezi River Authority, custodians of the source of hydroelectric generating Kariba Dam, this week announced that power production was being suspended because of low water levels at the dam.

The country’s energy ambitions have not been spared by the climate crisis, but analysts say investing in renewable energy could offer relief.

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The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries have

complained about the effect of electricity cuts on production, noting that despite years of lobbying the government to decisively deal with the power crisis, nothing had been done.

The government has touted solar power as the answer to the country’s power deficit, but investment in the capital-intensive sector has been dogged by allegedly corrupt awarding of tenders.In 2015, amid former president Robert Mugabe’s ostensible crackdown on dubious tender-awarding processes, a multimillion-dollar solar plant was earmarked for construction in Gwanda, a small town in the country’s southwest, but years later, nothing has happened, and the winning contractor has been accused of converting the money to finance a lavish lifestyle.

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Under its renewable energy policy, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has set out ambitious energy-production targets of up to 1 100 megawatts of renewable energy by 2025.

Zera said this will represent 16.5% of the country’s total energy production, and that is expected to increase to 26.5% by 2030.

By Zera’s projections, the country will have excess electricity production capacity by 2030, which is President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s timeline to have a middle-class economy.

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Amid the country’s ongoing economic hardships and stalled foreign direct investment in the energy sector, critics have expressed doubt that those targets will be realised.

At peak, Zimbabwe’s electricity demand stands at 1 700 megawatts but the country has for years struggled to hit the 1 000MW mark owing to old infrastructure and lack of investment in the sector.

While the country has clinched “mega deals” with countries such as Belarus, Russia and China for renewable energy production, the ongoing energy crisis has cast doubt on the implementation of these projects.

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“Renewable energy production is expensive, and the government should have concentrated on refurbishing existing infrastructure as we suggested years ago,” said Elias Mudzuri, a former energy minister during the country’s government of national unity.

“One wonders if the current energy minister is competent enough to deal with the energy crisis. It is not about whether the government has money or no money for long-term sustainable energy projects. What is important is having a feasible energy blueprint, then everything else will follow,” he said.

Meanwhile, institutions such as hospitals have not been spared the power cuts, highlighting the extent of the crisis. 

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At one time, expecting mothers were being asked to bring candles into delivery rooms, in a country where skilled health personnel are quitting in droves citing poor working conditions.

For now, as the country fumbles in the dark, there is little to show that the energy crisis will be solved anytime soon, with South Africa’s Eskom being pressured by local lobbyists to cut off power to Zimbabwe. 

In 2019, Zesa reported that Zimbabwe was getting 400MW from Eskom, while also importing power from Zambia, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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The country has routinely been threatened with disconnection for failing to pay for the electricity, and last week, Energy Minister Soda Zhemu told journalists that the government did not have the money to import electricity.

Zimbabwe, alongside other countries in the region, has, for years, imported electricity from South Africa, but with the continent’s largest economy facing its own energy crisis marked by rolling electricity blackouts, Zimbabwe could find itself in a cold dark place for much longer. 

Critics have been harsh on how the government has dealt with the energy crisis, and senior Zesa officials have been accused of corruption and bad corporate governance.

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“The failure to address the recurrent problem of power outages, and given the levels of official corruption and lack of corporate conscience by state enterprises and parastatals, there is little doubt that the country is suffering from a moral crisis,” said Gorden Moyo, who served as minister of state enterprises and parastatals under the late Morgan Tsvangirai’s tenure as prime Minister. (Source:Mail&Guardian) 

 

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Hwange

Victoria Falls man arraigned for murder in water dispute case

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BY WANDILE TSHUMA 

A 38-year-old man known as “Spraga,” appeared in the Victoria Falls Magistrates’ Court last week to face murder charges following the death of a 17-year-old boy.

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The accused, who formal name is Tinashe Wireless Nyarukokora appeared before the resident magistrate Linda Dzvene.

The allegations indicate that on 12 August, Nyarukokora was involved in an altercation with the deceased concerning water access at the Victoria Falls wastewater treatment ponds.

The situation escalated in the early hours of 13 August when the deceased, returning home from drinking in Chinotimba, encountered Nyarukokora again at the same location.

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Reports allege that during this encounter, Nyarukokora assaulted the victim with a wooden log and an electric cable before strangling him to death.

After realizing the boy had died, Nyarukokora reportedly disposed of the body in a nearby sewer pond, approximately 15 meters from the site of the attack, and subsequently fled the scene.

On 16 August 2025, a worker conducting routine inspections at the treatment ponds found the victim’s body floating.

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Police investigations linked Nyarukokora to the crime after a witness reported hearing the victim cry out in distress, specifically calling the accused’s name, “Spraga, Spraga, why are you strangling me?”

The court has remanded the case for further proceedings, scheduled for 3 September 2025.

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Calls for youth-centric health services echo at Victoria Falls budget consultation

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

Last week on Friday, the City of Victoria Falls convened a meeting with the junior council and youths at Chinotimba Clinic to gather input for the 2026 budget.

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The event sparked lively discussions on various topics, ranging from health services to transparency in project allocations, reflecting the hopes and challenges faced by the city’s youth.

One of the prominent voices at the meeting was Naison Mbedane, who passionately advocated for the establishment of a youth corner within the health center.

“We need a youth corner the same way that you are serving women, where they have their safe spaces to get help on health issues,” Mbedane said.

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He expressed frustration over the stigma surrounding health issues, particularly sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

“If there is a youth corner where I can talk to a young nurse in confidence, it will make a significant difference. Many of my peers suffer in silence and fail to seek treatment due to privacy concerns.”

The issue of transparency in council projects also surfaced, as Ndabiqondile Zwelinjani emphasized the necessity for clear communication in project allocations.

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Zwelinjani challenged the council to engage with youths at the ward level when distributing project opportunities.

“Let’s say you want to give 200 youths stands. Why not come to the wards and collect our applications? Development must be transparent; everyone deserves a fair chance,” he stated, highlighting the potential for corruption if the process remains opaque.

Lyle Magama, the junior council finance director from Mosi Oa Tunya High School, brought attention to the challenges faced by junior councillors.

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She noted the program’s noble intentions to foster future leaders but critiqued the lack of support and clarity regarding their roles. “While we conducted a few workshops, more guidance would have been beneficial. I believe future junior councillors should be provided with uniforms and mentorship to help them succeed,” Magama suggested.

“We faced setbacks due to limited knowledge and guidance, which led to frustration. We blamed the council for not being supportive, but maybe we weren’t transparent enough about our needs.”

A presentative from Youth Invest organisation suggested for council to incoporate programs that will be championed and fit into the youths needs on climate solutions after the city was granted a wetland city status as the just ended cop 15.

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In response to some issues especially of projects of 2026, the council’s chamber secretary Kholwani Mangena said: “Before concluding the 2026 budget, I suggest we meet next week (this week) to break down our goals. Let’s discuss what we want to achieve in 2026 and what we didn’t accomplish in 2025. We can identify tasks that can be completed within two weeks. I’m open to scheduling a meeting to outline our objectives.

Additionally, I’d like to propose that council members who aren’t re-elected can serve as advisors to the current council. This way, we can leverage their expertise and experience.

There are many initiatives that don’t require funding, such as career days for young people. Let’s explore ways to utilize our resources and talent effectively.”

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She said council wholeheartedly support youth initiatives, and is committed to ensuring that they growth as this is part of their mandate to nurture and support development.

 

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Tragic attack in Madlambuzi: Five dead as suspected mental patient goes on rampage

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BY WANDILE TSHUMA 

Police in Madlambuzi, Matabeleland South Province has are a suspected mental patient, Phamani Sibanda, following a violent rampage that left five people dead and two others injured on Wednesday.

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According to the police statement, Sibanda (43) allegedly attacked seven people in the village using a Mopani log, a blunt object, and an unknown sharp weapon, targeting anyone who crossed his path.

The victims of this tragic attack have been identified by their next of kin:

Elliot Khupe, 101, a male adult from Bellas Village
Butho Tshuma, 97, a female adult from Bellas Village
Constance Sibanda, 66, a female adult from Bellas Village
Tiffan Surprise Ndlovu, 6, a female juvenile from Bellas Village
Catra Matsika, 72, from Central Village

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In addition to the fatalities, two other women, aged 90 and 41, sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment at Madlambuzi Clinic and Plumtree District Hospital.

The ZRP has underscored the pressing need for community awareness regarding mental health issues. “We implore the public to promptly refer mental patients to medical institutions for treatment and to actively monitor their behavior to prevent such violent incidents,” the statement elaborated. It encouraged community members to report any concerns to the National Complaints Desk at (0242) 703631 or via WhatsApp at 0712 800197, or to approach the nearest police station.

 

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