Parts of Harare have been plunged into traffic and lighting chaos following the installation of prepaid electricity meters by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) on the city’s traffic signals, tower lights, and streetlights.

According to a statement issued by the City of Harare, most of the newly installed meters have not yet been registered on the ZETDC Prepaid Vending Platform. As a result, the city is currently unable to purchase electricity tokens for the affected infrastructure.

This has left several major intersections, including Samora Machel/Rekai Tangwena, Samora Machel/Julius Nyerere, Julius Nyerere/Kenneth Kaunda, and Bishop Gaul/Rotten Row, without functioning traffic signals. In addition, a number of tower lights and streetlights across the city are currently non-operational.

“We are in constant communication with ZETDC and we can confirm that they are working flat out to resolve the challenges,” said the City of Harare in the notice. “We expect the challenge to be resolved soon.”

In the meantime, municipal police and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have been deployed to assist motorists at the affected intersections to manage traffic flow and reduce the risk of accidents.