Questions for ZESA & Government Officials: Accountability from the Office of the Princess of Harare
By Princess Eugene Majuru
As Princess of Harare I have unique focus on how systemic failures impact the urban populace, commerce, and national dignity. My questions blend a concern for high-level accountability with the everyday realities faced by residents and businesses in the capital city, Harare.
My key questions are as follows:
1. Questions on Accountability and Governance (Target: Eng C. Nyachowe, Minister Moyo)
These questions address the political embarrassment and the need for high-level accountability following the incidents at both the SONA and the ZANU PF Conference.
Political vs. Technical Failure: “The recent power outages disrupted two of the nation’s most critical political gatherings. Do the preliminary findings suggest a failure of technical infrastructure (e.g., aging equipment) or a failure of management and high-level contingency planning for VVIP events?”
Preventing Future Embarrassment: “Given the public relations damage, what immediate Presidential/Ministerial directive has been issued to ZESA to guarantee that no national, political, or economic VVIP event in Harare or other major cities will ever be subjected to a power outage again?”
Mandate of Suspended Officer: “Can you precisely clarify the mandate and chain of responsibility of the suspended Managing Director? Was his role directly related to the operational integrity of power supply to the capital city and the New Parliament Building?”
2. Questions on Service Delivery to Harare Residents (Target: ZESA/ZETDC Leadership)
These questions connect the high-profile failure to the chronic, daily power deficits suffered by the general populace in Harare.
Prioritization of Loads: “The nation was told that critical facilities like Parliament and VVIP circuits are ring-fenced or exempted from load-shedding. Why did this priority protection fail? Does this reveal that ZESA’s entire load-management strategy is compromised, leaving all Harare consumers vulnerable?”
Impact on Commerce: “Harare’s businesses and residents rely heavily on consistent power. What is the cost of diesel consumed by Harare’s commercial sector due to ZESA’s unreliable supply? How quickly will the current investigation findings be translated into improved reliability for the average Harare resident and small-to-medium enterprise (SME)?”
Infrastructure Investment: “Beyond punitive action, what specific, measurable investment is being fast-tracked for upgrading the Harare Metropolitan distribution network? Will ZESA commit to publishing a Quarterly Power Reliability Index for Harare’s various suburbs?”
3. Questions on Future Resilience and Renewable Energy (Target: Minister Moyo, ZERA)
Referencing the proposal by Dr. Mabhurukwa, these questions push for the adoption of modern, decentralized energy solutions to ensure the long-term stability of the capital.
Parliamentary Microgrid: “In light of the incident and the proposed solar PV resilience plan (like the one from BryHyl Group), owned by Dr Hilton Mabhurukwa will the Ministry of Energy commit to immediately fast-tracking Parliament’s transition to a fully independent, solar-backed microgrid to establish it as a credible proof-of-concept for public institutions?”
Decentralization Mandate: “Harare has massive potential for rooftop solar. Is the Ministry of Energy prepared to mandate or strongly incentivise all new large commercial and industrial buildings in the city to install minimum solar PV and battery storage capacity to ease the burden on the national grid?”
ZERA’s Oversight Role: “ZERA is tasked with regulating and ensuring compliance. Did ZERA conduct or receive an independent Pre-SONA Technical Readiness Audit of the Parliament’s power systems? If so, what were the findings, and why were the risks not mitigated?”
Comments
About Author
