LIGHTS OUT : WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

There seems to be conflicting statements with regards to the power outage that rocked President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Tuesday, as Parliament is blaming a “circuit breaker supplying the load [that] had tripped”, while power utility Zesa Holdings has suspended one of its managers over the outage.

Mnangagwa ignored the mishap and continued to read his speech with the aid of torch light.

In a statement on Tuesday, clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda apologised to the President for the embarrassment and stated that: “The loss of power supplies to key systems occurred when the Parliament building wasrunning on a generator as the main source of supply, with Zesa supply as a standby.

“When supplies were lost, the generator was still running, but not supplying power.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that a circuit breaker supplying the load had tripped.

“The restoration took longer than expected, resulting in part of the Sona being delivered without power supply.”

He added: “The Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Zesa and other government agencies are investigating the incident and will report to the nation what transpired, as well as put in place measures to avoid recurrence.”

Earlier, Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda had issued a threat implying that the blackout was an act of sabotage.

Sources, however, said Mudenda wanted to take the heat off his desk after Parliament decided to rely on a contractor to provide a generator for the event after showing zero confidence in the national power utility, Zesa Holdings.

Sources questioned why Mudenda allowed the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) to be a back-up power source in favour of a generator.

Earlier correspondence by deputy clerk of Parliament Nomasontho Sunga showed that on October 21, she wrote to Local Government and Public Works secretary John Bhasera requesting the ministry’s co-ordination and oversight in ensuring uninterrupted power supply during Sona.

“It is noted that there is an approved arrangement to run the event using the generator as the primary source of power, with ZETDC [Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company] power on standby, following previous power disruptions experienced during important sessions,” she wrote.

Sunga requested that the generator be “serviced, fully tested and confirmed fit for uninterrupted operation during the event”, adding that ZETDC technical staff be “physically on standby throughout the proceedings to provide immediate response if required”.

While Chokuda blamed the circuit breaker, Zesa Holdings suspended one of its senior managers, ZETDC acting managing director engineer Abel Gurupira.

“I am hereby suspending you from duty pending investigations, following a spate of power outages prior to commencement of the Zanu PF conference in Mutare and during the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on October 28, 2025,” a letter addressed to Gurupira written by Zesa Holdings group chief executive officer Cletus Nyachowe read.

“You will be on full pay and benefits, pending the outcome of the investigations.

“During the period of suspension, you are not to communicate with Zesa Holdings group staff.”

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa’s Sona has been condemned as “empty”, “hollow” and “uninspiring” by opposition legislators who say it failed to address the country’s deepening economic crisis.

They said the fact that he was forced to finish his speech in darkness following a power blackout highlighted the country’s electricity challenges, where ordinary citizens go for over 12 hours without power.

Mbizo legislator Cobarn Madzivanyika said Mnangagwa’s address offered no hope to long-suffering Zimbabweans.

“The address was empty and hollow. It was not inspiring, just the same old rhetoric,” Madzivanyika said.

“It does not inspire any confidence, nor does it create any stimulus for the economy.

“A State of the Nation Address should be a beacon for positive trajectory and improved confidence within the business community, but this was lifeless.”

Mnangagwa presented his Sona at a time when there is a controversial agenda being championed by his loyalists to have his term of office extended by two years from 2028 to 2030.

The 2030 agenda has united the opposition, clergy and human rights activists who view the plot as an assault on democracy and constitutionalism.

Madzivanyika accused the President of being misleading, particularly on the issue of responsible mining.

He claimed Mnangagwa failed to address the illegal activities of Chinese miners, who he said were “destroying our land and culture”.

“It is the President who authorised the Chinese,” Madzivandika stated.

“If he was truly concerned, he would stop it.

“The fact that these activities continue proves his concern is a lie.”

Madzivanyika challenged the President’s focus on international sanctions, calling it a “tired narrative” used to mask governance failure.

“Mnangagwa started his address by highlighting sanctions, but this narrative is now tired,” he said.

“The bulk of the sanctions were removed by the United States and the European Union.

“The remaining ones target Mnangagwa himself and a few individuals, not the nation.

“When President Mnangagwa says ‘sanctions on me’, he does not mean sanctions on Zimbabweans, because Mnangagwa is not Zimbabwe.”

Chiredzi Central legislator Ropafadzo Makumire echoed similar sentiments, describing the Sona as “too shallow”, saying it ignored critical issues affecting citizens.

“We were expecting him to address the nation on progress made, for example, in the procurement of cancer machines,” Makumire said.

“We are almost closing the second year since the sugar tax was introduced, and to date, nothing has been done. People are struggling.”

He said the address failed to tackle fundamental problems, including “the idleness of the youths, unemployment and the escalating issue of drug and substance abuse”.

Mnangagwa has previously claimed that he is a constitutionalist and will step aside when his term of office expires in 2028.

He rose to power on the back of a November 2017 military coup that ousted strongman Robert Mugabe, now late. Newsday

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