Back to Index

ZESA should pursue senior government official before punishing the poor
Harare Residents' Trust (HRT)
February 22, 2012

The Harare Residents Trust (HRT) is shocked at the hypocrisy of the national power utility Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) which is not disconnecting power to Cabinet Ministers and other senior government officials, yet disconnects ordinary residents owing them small amounts.

According to the Daily News on Monday 17 January 2012 and the Herald 14 February 2012, Cabinet Ministers, including the Manicaland Governor Christopher Mushowe owe ZESA an average of US$20 000 but remain connected to the national power grid, depriving industry and commerce sufficient power supplies. And most residents endure long periods of power blackouts, load shedding and faults.

In Harare suburbs, the poor have been disconnected for failing to settle debts ranging from US$70 yet policymakers, already enjoying other privileges, are being left to use electricity for free. This scenario has severely hindered economic recovery and has affected small business people who are trying to make a positive contribution to national development.

The HRT condemns in the strongest terms this hypocrisy on the part of national leaders who, instead of putting in place policies that protect the poor against manipulation and exploitation by the rich and powerful, they are busy exposing the poor to victimization by public institutions like ZESA.

Instead of being abusive and aggressive against ordinary residents, Cabinet should make it Government policy to prioritise service delivery commensurate with cost of services rendered. Cabinet Ministers owing public institutions should lead by example and settle their bills and stop being academic about people's poverty. This is rank hypocrisy on the part of the Cabinet Ministers mentioned in the media.

Given this, the HRT will henceforth be mobilizing residents of Harare to stop any disconnections by ZESA officials until the mentioned cabinet ministers have fully paid their debts. ZESA should make public how much they are owed by all Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentarians and other high government officials. They must pay up, or residents should not be disconnected at all for non-payment.

Visit the Harare Residents' Trust fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP