Government currently addressing current power shortages - VP Munangagwa

VP Munangagwa

VICE-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday said government was in the process of establishing two thermal plants for electricity generation and ease power shortages, which have hit the national grid following a massive drop in water levels at Kariba Dam.

Addressing parliamentarians during a question-and-answer session, Mnangagwa said due to the drop in water levels at Kariba Dam, Zimbabwe and Zambia were now getting 474 megawatts (MW) of electricity each instead of the 750MW that Zimbabwe previously got.

“We are in the process of establishing two thermal plants to give us 600MW. Kariba South will give us 300MW, which will in total give us 900MW, and it will give us peace in our homes,” he said.

“The other problem we are experiencing is water in Kariba. It is supposed to give us 750MW, but due to the decline of water levels, we are supposed to get 475MW each with Zambia. Government is doing everything possible to ensure we have enough electricity.”

Mnangagwa, however, said hospitals and high security areas would continue to be spared power cuts.

Turning to the issue of land barons, Mnangagwa said: “They acquired State land and sold it to the suffering people. We want to make sure all State land is owned by municipalities and proper allocation done through proper channels.”

When quizzed to explain when government would establish provincial councils, Mnangagwa said: “The creation of the new structure requires resources and the constraint is the issue of resources.”

In an unrelated matter, opposition MPs grilled Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa on the rationale behind the ongoing audit of pensioners and why old people were being made to queue for a head count the whole day without food.

Chinamasa said the audit was being done to ensure only living pensioners benefited, adding he would investigate the methods used during the head count.