Energy Minister Promises Improvement Soon in Delivery
23 March 2012
Energy Minister Elton Mangoma said power utility, ZESA, will soon ease load
shedding after successfully upgrading generation capacity at Hwange and
Kariba power stations.
Violet Gonda | Washington
Energy Minister Elton Mangoma said load shedding will ease across the
country in the next few days after the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority
upgraded generation capacity at Hwange and Kariba power stations.
The minister, who was speaking Thursdays at an investment conference in
Harare, also said plans are underway to disconnect defaulters who owe the
power utility a total of $550 million in unpaid bills, money that can help
ZESA settle huge debts owed to neighbouring countries for electricity
supply.
Meanwhile, legislators traded insults in parliament Thursday following
recommendations by Heya Shoko from the Tsvangirai-led MDC that defaulting
lawmakers be barred from parliament.
There was an uproar when the Bikita West lawmaker went on to name and shame
the major defaulters who he described as “ZANU PF MPS land grabbers”, such
as Chivi Central MP Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana and Manicaland provincial
governor Christopher Mushohwe who allegedly owe ZESA $74 000 and $367 000
respectively.
Director Precious Shumba of the Harare Residents Trust said poor management
of public resources across the political divide, and a culture of impunity
is contributing to the weakening of state institutions.
“It also exposes the failure of the debt collection system in ZESA Holding.”
Shumba asked: “How could they allow such a situation to prevail where a
consumer who is using electricity for free goes unchecked for such a long
time, and wait for this outcry?”
Shumba said state establishments have to be strengthened as many officials
fear victimization and abuse of power by senior civil servants, “but we have
very weak institutions where people are only safeguarded because of who they
know or which political party they belong to. That is the tragedy.”