Broke Zesa ‘scrounging’ for money from consumers

By Tichaona Sibanda
8 November 2007

Authorities from Zesa are allegedly begging money from consumers hard hit by power cuts to contribute Z$1 million each per household if they want damaged equipment in their areas to be fixed or replaced.

In most areas where there is no power because of stolen power cables, burnt transformers or shortage of transformer oil, Zesa officials are urging the residents to contribute cash in order for them to buy the spare parts needed.

Our Harare correspondent, Simon Muchemwa said officials from the power utility company have been moving around the affected areas soliciting the consumers to pay up if they wanted power restored.

‘People are suspicious of this campaign because Zesa officials are known to be vandalising their own equipment and selling most of the parts from sub-stations to the new farmers in rural areas,’ Muchemwa said.

On Wednesday night, the officials visited Kuwadzana 4 Shopping Centre and held a meeting with the residents who had complained about power outages for the past three weeks. Muchemwa said those who attended the meeting confirmed that officials had proposed that they should contribute some money if they wanted electricity back on.

A section in Kuwadzana 3 had gone for three months without power forcing local MP Nelson Chamisa to intervene. A transformer that was damaged in February this year was only repaired recently, according to Muchemwa.

‘What we don’t know is whether the MP used his own resources to but spare parts for the transformer or he used his political influence to push Zesa officials to fix it,’ Muchemwa said.

Currently Kuwadzana Polyclinic, which caters for residents from Mufakose, Kuwadzana 1-7, Kuwadzana Ext, Dzivarasekwa, Tynwald and Cold comfort, has had no power for one week, putting lives of the newborn babies at risk. Overnight emergency treatments have been suspended and people are now being referred to Harare Hospital.
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