Zimbabwe’s parliament experienced an embarrassing power outage on November 29, 2024, as Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube was nearing the conclusion of his crucial budget speech. The lights flickered and then went out entirely, plunging the chamber into darkness as top government officials, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, sat in stunned silence. The power cut is just the latest symptom of Zimbabwe’s ongoing energy crisis, which has plagued the country with daily power outages lasting up to 12 hours.
This latest power cut highlights the severe energy shortage that Zimbabwe has been grappling with, which has been exacerbated by a prolonged drought that has crippled energy production at the Kariba Dam, the country’s primary source of hydroelectric power. The Kariba Dam, which straddles the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, has seen drastically reduced water levels due to the drought, significantly diminishing its ability to generate power.
A Country in Darkness
The blackout occurred just as Minister Ncube was addressing Parliament, delivering a speech outlining the country’s budget for the coming year. As the lights dimmed and ultimately failed, opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) seized the opportunity to make pointed comments, shouting that the power cut was a fitting metaphor for Zimbabwe’s current situation. They argued that the outage symbolized the failure of the government to provide basic services, including electricity, amid a deteriorating economic and social environment.
Opposition MPs are not alone in their concerns. The energy crisis has been one of the most pressing issues facing Zimbabwe for years, with power cuts becoming a daily challenge for citizens and businesses alike. Many Zimbabweans have grown accustomed to long hours of darkness and disruptions in their daily lives, and the power cuts have only worsened the public’s frustration with the government.
Official Explanation and Economic Concerns
George Manyaya, a spokesperson for Zimbabwe’s state-owned electricity supplier, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), explained that the blackout was not planned and was due to a lightning strike. According to Manyaya, the parliamentary complex is supposed to be exempt from the usual power cuts, as it has its own dedicated power supply. However, the lightning strike caused a temporary disruption, leading to the outage.
Despite the official explanation, the incident underscores the deepening energy crisis in Zimbabwe, which is a direct result of the country’s economic challenges and environmental factors. The energy shortfall has forced the government to rely on power imports, but the costs of purchasing electricity from neighboring countries are unsustainable, and these sources are often unreliable themselves.
In his budget speech, Minister Ncube acknowledged the severe impact of the ongoing drought on the country’s agricultural sector. He projected that the agricultural sector would contract by 15% in 2024 due to the drought’s devastating effects on crop yields. This reduction in agricultural output is expected to exacerbate food shortages and inflation, further straining the country’s struggling economy.
However, Ncube remained optimistic about the future, projecting that the Zimbabwean economy would grow by 6% in 2025, driven by an expected recovery in agricultural production due to forecasted above-average rainfall. The finance minister also expressed hope that this improved weather pattern would boost the capacity of the Kariba Dam and, by extension, the country’s electricity generation.
The Road Ahead: Energy and Economic Reforms
Zimbabwe’s energy crisis is a reflection of the broader economic issues plaguing the country. In recent years, inflation has spiraled out of control, unemployment has remained high, and infrastructure continues to deteriorate. The government’s attempts to address these issues have often been met with criticism for inefficiency and corruption, leading to a loss of public confidence.
For Zimbabwe to recover, substantial reforms are needed, not just in energy production but across all sectors of the economy. The energy crisis, which affects everything from industry to daily life, must be resolved if the country hopes to achieve the projected economic growth. The promise of above-average rainfall is certainly hopeful, but it is far from a guaranteed solution.
As Zimbabweans continue to endure frequent power outages, the government’s ability to manage the energy crisis and foster long-term economic stability will be crucial in determining the country’s future. Until then, the blackout that occurred during the budget speech serves as a stark reminder of the challenges the nation faces as it struggles to emerge from years of economic hardship.
