Zesa mum on chefs’ electricity bills
By Sharon Muguwu, Staff Writer
Monday, 20 February 2012 14:31
HARARE – State power utility Zesa Holdings has refused to explain its
stratification that has seen cabinet ministers and other top government
officials owing thousands of dollars in electricity bills exempt from
disconnections.
There seems to be a conspiracy of silence between the relevant minister
Elton Mangoma and Zesa Holdings as they are throwing the matter to each
other.
Mangoma told a parliamentary portfolio committee on Mines and Energy last
week that Zesa Holdings is moving to disconnect legislators that had
defaulted on the power bills.
The threat prompted counter-accusations from the Mines and Energy committee
chairman Edward Chindori-Chininga that the permanent secretary in the
ministry of Energy and Power Development Justin Mupamhanga actually owed
Zesa Holdings more than $30 000 and he was not switched off.
He further said Chris Mushohwe, the Manicaland governor owed well in excess
of $100 000 but he was not switched off.
The disclosures provoked furious responses from Zesa Holdings’ ratepayers
who protested the stratification of customers in terms of disconnections.
The revelations come at a time the company has been switching off ordinary
people for bills as low as $50.
Fullard Gwasira, the company spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.
“On that issue, I have nothing to say. You will have to talk to the minister
of Energy as he knows what will be done,” he said.
The minister was also tongue-tied when asked by Chindori-Chininga why the
chefs were being exempt from the disconnections.
Ruvimbo Moyo, a Harare ratepayer expressed disgust at the disclosures.
“It is really unfair what these people are doing,” she quipped. “Last year I
owed Zesa (Holdings) $70 which I had been trying to clear since
dollarisation and they switched me off.
“I was appalled when I learnt that these top officials owe Zesa that much.
It is just unfair and all of them have backup generators at their homes.
Honestly how does a bill run up to $30 000 and Zesa do nothing about it?”
The ordinary residents have had to contend with rolling power outages and
estimated bills.
At the beginning of this month, Mozambique’s Hydro Cabora Bassa threatened
to stop supplies to Zimbabwe over a mounting debts estimated at $94 million
for electricity imports.
Zesa Holdings owes about $800 million in legacy debts, but Mangoma said the
utility does not have money to settle the bill.