…we cannot add water into Kariba
Upenyu
Chaota
With the country bearing the brunt of an average 19
hours of daily power load shedding, Zanu PF has said the outages are the design
of God, arguing that nobody else has power over water levels in Kariba Dam.
Speaking at a Zanu PF Masvingo Provincial Coordinating
Committee (PCC) meeting over the weekend, Zanu PF national secretary for
security Lovemore Matuke said people should stop blaming the ruling party on
the current power crisis as they have no capacity to add water into the dam.
Committee (PCC) meeting over the weekend, Zanu PF national secretary for
security Lovemore Matuke said people should stop blaming the ruling party on
the current power crisis as they have no capacity to add water into the dam.
“Zanu PF is capable of doing a lot of things but we
cannot add water into Kariba Dam so that we generate adequate electricity.
cannot add water into Kariba Dam so that we generate adequate electricity.
“God decided to give us little rains so the load
shedding is by God’s design. The government is trying to pull all the strings
to make sure that we source electricity from our neighbours Mozambique and
South Africa,” said Matuke.
shedding is by God’s design. The government is trying to pull all the strings
to make sure that we source electricity from our neighbours Mozambique and
South Africa,” said Matuke.
South Africa’s power utility Eskom and Mozambique’s
Cabbora Bassa have discontinued supplying Zimbabwe with electricity owing to
millions in unpaid debts and the government says it has since paid $10 million
to Eskom.
Cabbora Bassa have discontinued supplying Zimbabwe with electricity owing to
millions in unpaid debts and the government says it has since paid $10 million
to Eskom.
Government says it cannot supply adequate electricity
to households and industry partly because the Kariba hydro power station is
operating below capacity due to low water levels in the dam.
to households and industry partly because the Kariba hydro power station is
operating below capacity due to low water levels in the dam.
Critics have however dismissed this claim, saying the
neighbouring Zambia does not suffer as much load shedding despite relying on
the same station for much of its power requirements.
neighbouring Zambia does not suffer as much load shedding despite relying on
the same station for much of its power requirements.
They blame government profligacy and the resultant failure
to pay for supplementary power imports from neighbouring countries.
to pay for supplementary power imports from neighbouring countries.
