Govt orders ZESA to spare SADC summit venues from power cuts
Animal farm mentality slammed by opposition after ordinary citizens forced to endure daily suffering
By Staff Reporter
The government has issued a directive to power utility, ZESA to ensure all venues designated for the SADC summit in Zimbabwe are spared from recurrent power cuts in the country.
Zimbabwe hosts the SADC summit on 17 August this year, but some subsidiary events have already started with some set to follow in the next coming few days.
Some 15 heads of state and their delegations are due to arrive in the country with the Zanu PF-led government overindulging in ensuring the best form of hospitality for the visitors.
Roads leading to the venues have been restored to their best while authorities have pulled all the stops to ensure there is uninterrupted supply of water at the new parliament in Mt Hampden, the venue for the main event.
Equally, the government has ensured the visitors are not inconvenienced by power cuts with energy secretary Gloria Magombo directing ZESA to ensure the venues for the regional indaba are spared.
In a memorandum to ZESA CEO Sydney Gata, Magombo put down a list of events and venues that should be buffered from rolling power cuts.
“The ministry is therefore requesting ZESA through ZETDC to ensure uninterrupted power supply at the above-mentioned venues during the SADC summit period,” reads the memo dated July 24.
The lead-up to the SADC summit began with the 7th SADC Industrialisation week running from July 28 to August 2 at the Harare International Conference Centre.
From August 8 to 11, there will be a senior officials and finance committee meeting at the new parliament building in Mt Hampden to be followed by a meeting of the SADC council of ministers meeting at the same venue from August 13 to 14.
The University of Zimbabwe will host a SADC public lecture on August 15 before regional leaders gather for the main summit on August 17, at which Zimbabwe will take over the rotating presidency of the regional body from Zambia.
Opposition politician Fadzayi Mahere has slammed the animal farm mentality being brought by the Zanu PF led administration at the expense of ordinary citizens who endure daily suffering in the hands of their leaders.
Zimbabwe is viewed as the black sheep of the region with its rulers accused of political impropriety, high level corruption, misgovernance and poll theft.
The zeal to ensure a flawless SADC summit is seen in the light of an attempt to cleanse itself of its delinquent tag.
