President Delivers on Electricity Supply Promise

President Mnangagwa

Blessings Chidakwa Zimpapers Elections Desk

THERE was a time when Zimbabweans were grappling with daily power outages, and it was beyond reason for many that the country could ease the daily occurrence, especially as it was a regional challenge, but now homes have the lights thanks to a cocktail of measures that were introduced by President Mnangagwa from 2018. Like a host of SADC nations, Zimbabwe has been saddled with power deficits that have been exacerbated by rapid industrialisation which is not matched by energy supplies. To fill that deficit the country developed several power sources that include the Hwange Units 7 and 8, which are now both on stream while smaller hydro-electricity projects from dams that are being constructed in every province will add more power to the national grid. It is not only domestic consumers who now have guaranteed power supplies but also industries and farmers have benefited immensely from the power supply to respectively drive their industrial equipment and also irrigate their crop with the country registering record-breaking wheat harvests. Resultantly, the country’s industrial sector is thriving with utilisation standing at over 70 percent, while successes in the agriculture sector have seen the country achieving food security with a surplus for export. Milestones have also been registered in the mining sector where the country is inching towards becoming a US$12 billion mining economy from the pre-Second Republic economy of US$2.8 billion. Increased power generation has helped the country power old mines that have been revived under the Second Republic, establishment of new mines and expansion of existing mines such as Unkie, Murowa Diamonds and Bikita Lithium, among others. Behind the success stories is President Mnangagwa’s vision to make the country energy self-sufficient, a promise that was contained in his Zanu PF party’s 2018 Election Manifesto. ReadMore