Zimbabwe Parliament Experiences Blackout During Finance Minister’s Address

Zimbabwe’s parliament experienced a power outage, resulting in darkness, just as Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube concluded his budget address. The illumination failed, leaving prominent figures such as President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, and parliamentary members without light. This power failure highlights Zimbabwe’s persistent crisis, characterized by routine 12-hour daily blackouts. These are attributed to an extended drought, which severely impacts electricity production at the Kariba Dam, the nation’s primary source of power. When the power ceased, opposition Members of Parliament vocally declared the blackout to be a fitting representation of the nation’s current condition. George Manyaya, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), informed the local news platform ZimLive that the power disruption was unforeseen. He stated that parliament possesses its own exclusive electricity provision, which is typically immune to power cuts. According to Manyaya, the outage was caused by a lightning strike. Prior to the power failure, Minister Ncube announced that the agricultural sector is expected to shrink by 15% this year, a consequence of the drought. Nevertheless, he forecasted a 6% economic growth for the following year, attributing this to anticipated above-average rainfall, which is also expected to enhance electricity provision.