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speaking so loudly that even the hard-of-hearing cannot miss their messages.
Their speech has been felt by the lowest and the highest across the nation.
Never before has this writer felt like she is now living in her village where the blanket of darkness at night is the norm.
Thirty-one-years after independence, having electric power is now a luxury afforded by very few, and in some cases, a luxury that the people can enjoy for a few hours if they are awake. And, we are supposed to now be globally connected?
That their speech is not only derailing efforts made so far is not indisputable. And that Zesa as a single entity that is supposed to be staffed by the crème de la crème of minds, skills, expertise in the country is taking the country back to the stone age, again, there is no doubt about that.
That one body that is supposed to deliver the best service to the nation is actually causing a lot of misery among the populace, especially in urban and peri-urban areas is shocking.
That a body, which is supposed to be in the forefront of ensuring that the environment is protected through efficient service provision is doing the reverse.
In the process, it is indirectly causing alarming deforestation in so short a period is alarming, especially when we realise that the utility is not really worried about the current state of affairs and the people’s concerns.
For most families in urban areas, in order to put a meal on the table they depend on wood fuels. And where does that firewood come from in urban areas?
When some families are going hungry because they can’t afford the firewood, let alone gas, paraffin or gel and then you see in the media that the leadership at the power utility is more concerned with boardroom squabbles than communicating with the people and/or solving the current power and energy crisis is treacherous and very, very insensitive.
Zesa must picture this true scenario: a woman borrows a dollar to buy some firewood. But since the quality is not good, she needs paper and plastics and has to continually fan the fire so that at least there is a flame in order for her to prepare breakfast for her two children before they go to school.
She also tells them to take a cold bath, although the winter season is upon us. In order to convince her children she shouts at them, “Your father had to go to work wearing clothes that are not ironed. I can’t wake up at midnight to do the ironing. And, when I think that I can do the ironing in the morning, the lights are switched off. Now I’ve to struggle with this fire, and you might go to school without eating your porridge.”
She tells this writer, “Life is unbearable now. Tiri kushupika. Our parents never experienced such hardships. This firewood is not dry, so I have to take my plastic cups and plates, cut them up into pieces and throw them into the fire.
“For how long should I continue doing this? I don’t manufacture plastics. Burning plastic has a terrible smell, and daily you force yourself to eat the food that has a stench. What can we do? . . . Probably my husband is being taunted at his workplace for wearing clothes that are not ironed, and some will think that I am not taking care of him.
“Why is Zesa doing this to us? We can’t afford generators. So, how will this cruelty come to an end? Why did we make some people rich with the electronic gadgets that are just sitting there in the house? Even the cellphones are useless now.”
You can see that the tears flowing down her cheeks are not from the smoke, but they are tears of agony, of pain, as she does not know what next to do.
A plain meal of sadza and vegetables takes longer than expected, and makes it look like one is preparing a five-course meal. What are the health implications of the lifestyle imposed on the people by this power problem?
When I read a text message a few months where an irate consumer telling Zesa to come to their area and pull out their electric poles since they were saving no purpose, this writer thought that this would improve the service, but instead it is getting worse.
The writer is trying not to politicise such an essential service, but I will still not lose the fact that some people called for sanctions to be imposed on this country, and not only that, years back, Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister at one point thought that the best way that South Africa could do to fast track his presidential ambitions was to switch off Zimbabwe completely, since Zimbabwe imports some of the energy from South Africa.
The video footage is there when he said that it was in South Africa’s power to deny Zimbabwe electricity and fuel. At one point, fuel queues used to be the order of the day. But now that fuel is available, the most essential commodity that should help kick-start the economy is slowly disappearing, causing untold suffering everywhere.
We can also not afford to be apolitical because the minister who oversees the goings-on at Zesa was party to the damning “prophetic” message about the country’s energy and power situation until MDC-T ascends to power.
Despite the despicable service, people question why they continue to receive huge bills. In fact, the question to ask is: Zesa always issued out bills based on estimates, when the multi-currency regime started, how were the bills computed and households started receiving huge bills as if they were running manufacturing companies?
Though Zesa continues to speak (by switching everybody off), consumers have also used every opportunity availed to them to question the service provision by the power utility.
Below, I reproduce a cross-section of text message that have been published a few days ago this month. These are from The Herald alone, although the writer knows that all newspapers that offer an SMS service receive these complaints:
l If ZETDC doesn’t want to supply electricity in Canaan and Zororo areas they should just switch it off. Is it still load-shedding if electricity is switched off between 5am and 10pm? When do we use the electricity? – Fox wekuCanaan.
l Zesa please, explain what’s happening neload shedding yenyu? Inongoda nanheru chete sei kuKuwadzana? Tinoswera kumabasa tichisvika kumba kusina magetsi everyday. Zviri kufamba sei ? Please explain. – Mai Panashe, Kuwadzana Extension.
l On May 19, I received my April Zesa bill showing an astronomical amount. This to me is a most unreasonable demand on my May budget . . . – E L Mukwereza, Seke, Chitungwiza.
l Zesa, thank you very much for providing us with a load shedding programme, but we would appreciate if you can provide us with a map stating which area is covered by H4 or H18. – Mai O, Harare.
l Veduwe-e, hanzi takapara mhosva yei kuMsasa Park? Ichiri load shedding here? No Zesa; not everyday! – Stanlake.
l Thank you Zesa for charging us for electricity that’s only available when we’re asleep. Same with you Harare water, for the hissing taps, and Harare Municipality for the aromatic garbage you’re not collecting. Great job! Well done! – Elliot Mhene, Budiriro.
l Please can the Ministry of Energy and Power Development notify us about what is happening with Zesa? It’s better to quit if you have failed. – Malvern, Cold Comfort.
This is a very small section of what the people are saying about Zesa, but it seems as though no one is listening at all, let alone bothering to address their concerns. If people’s queries are not addressed – because they continue to send letters and messages, what does it say about service provision?
People are aware of the economic challenges the country is facing, especially the liquidity crunch, but when they don’t get answers to basic problems they face every day, and are also asked to pay astronomical bills for non-existing and/or poor service can we conclude that this is taking people for granted?
Before, it was lack of foreign currency, but some of us remember that with the Zimbabwe dollar buying the green back then, we used to have above normal electricity supply. Not what it is now, when all hard currencies are used in Zimbabwe!
I indicated that no one has been spared: households, commerce and industry, and Government.
But maybe, the worst case scenario is to see the Zimbabwe Republic Police stations switched off at night and sometimes for days on end, including the charge offices. You imagine the unimaginable.
Since Government is the worst affected in the liquidity crunch, you see a charge office handling issues, including notorious criminals under candlelight.
We certainly can do better than this, and we also should know that prioritising power and energy will move this economy and improve people’s lives. Unless maybe if there are people who think that the people’s lot is to suffer silently!
l [email protected]