By A Correspondent

Zimbabwe’s worsening energy crisis took a dramatic turn on Thursday when a sudden power outage interrupted the country’s parliamentary session. In the midst of presenting the 2025 national budget, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube was left in the dark as the lights went out, with key officials, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa and lawmakers, unable to continue their work.

This incident highlighted Zimbabwe’s ongoing struggles with chronic power shortages, which often result in outages lasting up to 12 hours a day. The timing of the outage—during the crucial budget presentation—added further embarrassment to the government, especially for President Mnangagwa, who was directly affected by the blackout.

The root cause of the country’s power shortage is largely attributed to a devastating drought that has severely impacted the Kariba Dam, Zimbabwe’s primary electricity generation source. The dam’s water levels have dropped to dangerously low levels, significantly reducing power production. Coupled with a failing national grid, these issues have left Zimbabwe with an unreliable and inconsistent electricity supply, exacerbating the nation’s economic uncertainty.

Opposition leaders were quick to seize on the blackout, pointing to it as another indicator of Zimbabwe’s decline under the current leadership. “This is totally unacceptable. Due diligence is crucial at all times. We expect consequences following this embarrassing incident,” a government insider commented. Critics argued that the blackout not only embarrassed the president but also posed a potential risk to national security, with some even suggesting that the power failure put President Mnangagwa’s life in danger.

In addition to the power shortages caused by the drought, the country’s reliance on the aging Hwange Thermal Power Station, which suffers from frequent breakdowns due to outdated infrastructure, has worsened the situation.

In response to a question from Advocate Fadzayi Mahere regarding the embarrassing incident, a government spokesperson humorously remarked, “Tenga solar dununu (buy solar, you fool).”

ZESA spokesperson George Manyaya also rejected claims that the blackout was a result of load shedding, instead attributing it to a lightning storm. “There was a storm in the parliamentary area, and unfortunately, lightning caused a temporary loss of power during the budget presentation. It’s an act of nature, not load shedding, as is being suggested on social media.”