WASHINGTON —
Zimbabwe's Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma says there won’t be any sacred cows when the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) embarks on a massive disconnection program targetting defaulting clients.
Mangoma says the cash-strapped power utility will switch off top Government officials, including ministers and ordinary people owing ZESA millions in unpaid bills.
President Robert Mugabe has in the past been listed as one of the defaulters with top government ministers pledging last year to clear their debts with ZESA after selling their tobacco crop.
"ZESA is being forced to resort to power disruptions as a way of raising funds to pay international debtors," said Mangoma.
In a press statement released this weekend, the power utility said the high default rate had constrained its revenue base and ability to continue supplying power.
“ZETDC has noted with serious concern that over the past three months there has been significant slackening in the manner some of the customers have been paying their electricity bills. This has resulted in a scenario where the money owed to ZEDTC has continued to rise, constraining the capacity of the company to pay for such critical obligations such as electricity imports, coal, spares to repair faults and statutory obligations,” reads the statement in part.
Mangoma said ZESA will exhaust all means necessary to recover its debt from consumers.
Mangoma says the cash-strapped power utility will switch off top Government officials, including ministers and ordinary people owing ZESA millions in unpaid bills.
President Robert Mugabe has in the past been listed as one of the defaulters with top government ministers pledging last year to clear their debts with ZESA after selling their tobacco crop.
"ZESA is being forced to resort to power disruptions as a way of raising funds to pay international debtors," said Mangoma.
In a press statement released this weekend, the power utility said the high default rate had constrained its revenue base and ability to continue supplying power.
“ZETDC has noted with serious concern that over the past three months there has been significant slackening in the manner some of the customers have been paying their electricity bills. This has resulted in a scenario where the money owed to ZEDTC has continued to rise, constraining the capacity of the company to pay for such critical obligations such as electricity imports, coal, spares to repair faults and statutory obligations,” reads the statement in part.
Mangoma said ZESA will exhaust all means necessary to recover its debt from consumers.
