HARARE — In a commitment shadowed by ongoing financial scandals involving millions of US dollars in tender money leaks linked to convicted fraudster Wicknell Chivayo, the Zimbabwean government has vowed minimal load shedding this winter. Energy Minister Edgar Moyo assured the public that load shedding would not exceed “Stage One,” despite significant challenges facing the region’s power supply.
Chivayo, who has been implicated in siphoning tender contracts of over a quarter of a billion US dollars from government funds, has been a central figure in controversies surrounding misallocated resources for power projects. Despite these financial leaks and significant losses incurred, the government asserts that power management will be effectively handled this season.
Quoted by state-owned media, Minister Moyo expressed, “We have made several plans to ensure that the winter power supply situation is better than expected and we are not expecting to exceed Stage One load shedding despite the power crisis in the region.”
He detailed the strategies for stabilizing the power supply, including “maximum generation at the Hwange Units 7 and 8, which are consistently producing over 600MW; Hwange Units 1-6 are performing fairly well, producing an average of 300MW from the enhanced maintenance and prioritization of critical spares.”
Furthermore, Moyo highlighted that “Kariba dispatch is being optimized to produce an average of 250MW, with peak supply up to 400MW.” He also mentioned the ongoing import arrangements and the active participation of the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (Zetdc) in the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) Day Ahead Market, which allows Zimbabwe to access any excess power from the region.
These assurances come at a time when public confidence in government operations is low, particularly due to the substantial financial mismanagement linked to Chivayo’s activities. The government’s commitment to maintaining a stable power supply despite these issues is seen as a critical step in addressing both the immediate needs of the nation and restoring trust in its ability to manage essential services effectively.- Agencies