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Energy and Power Development Minister Samuel Undenge

Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Correspondent
More than 576 000 prepaid electricity meters have been installed in homes and business premises throughout Zimbabwe since the pre-paid meter installation programme began, Energy and Power Development Minister Samuel Undenge said. Of the 576 000 meters that were installed 6 000 failed resulting in the cancellation of ZTE’s contract to install the pre-paid meters.

Minister Undenge said the power utility will replace all the faulty meters but meter shortages were slowing the process. “To date, 575 667 meters have been installed,” he said.

“The total number of meters that failed to date is around 6 000 which translates to one percent of the installed base. So, because of meter shortages, it has taken long to replace some of the meters failing at site, but there is a plan to replace all faulty meters as soon as the next delivery of meters is received,” said Minister Undenge.

Minister Undenge was responding to a question with notice from Bulawayo South legislator Mr Eddie Cross (MDC-T) who wanted to be informed on the total number of pre-paid electricity meters that have been installed as well as to detail how many had malfunctioned since installation and what Zesa was doing to repair or replace such meters.

On rural electrification, the Minister said 8 500 public institutions in rural communities had been electrified. “Since it started in 2000 through an Act of Parliament, the Rural Electrification Fund has electrified over 8 500 public institutions, this includes rural clinics, Government buildings and schools,” he said.

“It has gone further to electrify rural households and that is done on a 50 percent basis. Government contributes 50 percent and the rural families contribute the other 50 percent. So, this is a subsidised programme.

“There is high demand for rural electrification and perhaps if I mention the statistics as they stand, 40 percent of families in Zimbabwe have access to electricity and 60 percent do not have access to electricity. Most of the 60 percent belong to the rural areas. There is now high demand by everybody to have access to electricity, hence the application rate is very high, resources are limited and that is why there is this time lag.”

Minister Undenge was responding to a question from Gokwe MP Dorothy Mangami (zanu-pf) who asked on the steps required for rural dwellers to electrify their homes. Minister Undenge urged members of parliament to speak against vandalising of Zesa infrastructure and stealing of cable lines, oil transformers in their constituencies as this reverses the gains made.

“The issue of vandalism actually takes us back. Where we are due to do certain work or complete certain projects, we have to divert resources to go and repair what has been damaged,” he said. Under Zim-Asset, the power utility is targeting to install 800 000 prepaid meters by 2018.