Power Cut Disrupts Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address
Harare – A sudden power outage threw Zimbabwe’s Parliament into darkness during President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address on 28 October 2025, forcing the 83-year-old leader to finish his speech under torchlight. The incident, which happened in the final minutes of the address at the New Parliament Building in Mount Hampden, has sparked suspicions of sabotage, harsh words from officials, and renewed focus on the country’s ongoing electricity woes. Despite the disruption, Mnangagwa pressed on, highlighting key plans for economic growth and infrastructure as part of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030.
The blackout came just days after Parliament officials had requested special power arrangements to avoid such problems. In a letter dated 21 October 2025, the Acting Clerk of Parliament, N.A. Sunga, wrote to Dr. J. Bhasera, Secretary for Local Government and Public Works, asking for coordination to ensure uninterrupted supply during the SONA. The letter outlined an approved setup using a generator as the main power source, with ZETDC – Zimbabwe’s electricity distributor – on standby. It stressed the need for the generator to be serviced, tested, and confirmed ready, along with ZETDC staff on site and prompt payment for services and fuel.
Yet, the plan fell apart, leading to chaos that embarrassed the government and drew sharp reactions from leaders.
The Dramatic Blackout: Torchlight Finish Amid Growing Frustration
The power cut struck around 2:30 PM, right as President Mnangagwa was wrapping up his speech. With the chamber plunged into near-total darkness, an aide quickly stepped in with a torch to light up his notes, allowing him to continue. Mnangagwa appeared visibly upset and left the room right after finishing, without pausing for the usual formalities. Power came back on moments later, raising questions about why the switch took so long.
This was not the first time such an issue hit a major event. A similar outage disrupted the national budget speech in November last year, blamed on thunderstorms and high winds that tripped power lines. Back then, officials including Mnangagwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga had to walk out for safety reasons. In both cases, the lack of reliable backup systems highlighted deeper problems.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with murmurs rippling through the crowd of MPs, top officials, and guests. Social media exploded with images and videos of the darkened hall, some calling it a “State of the Darkness Address” to poke fun at the irony in a country plagued by daily blackouts.
Official Reactions: Speaker Mudenda’s Vow of Revenge
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda wasted no time in responding. He issued a formal apology to MPs for the embarrassment but went further, vowing to track down the “culprit” behind the outage. In a stern warning, he declared, “The person who switched off electricity while the President was speaking will regret the day he was born.” His words suggested he believed it was a deliberate act, perhaps linked to political rivals or internal sabotage.
Mudenda’s office, which oversees Parliament’s operations, has been at the centre of the blame game. Despite his tough talk, sources close to the matter point to logistical slips rather than foul play. One insider explained that the generator, switched on at noon with ZESA engineers ready as backup, hit a technical snag. ZESA flipped the power back on, but local government engineers delayed in adjusting the breaker to complete the switch. This brief hold-up caused the visible disruption.
Not everyone buys the sabotage theory. Some observers, including on social media, dismissed it as everyday load shedding that ordinary Zimbabweans face. One comment noted, “It’s because of Gwanda Solar Project. Let’s tell Chivayo to deliver,” tying the incident to wider frustrations over failed energy projects.
Behind the Scenes: Failed Power Arrangements and Technical Hitches
The 21 October letter reveals careful planning that went awry. It called for the generator to be fully serviced and tested for uninterrupted operation, ZETDC technicians to be on standby throughout, and immediate action if needed. Payment for the generator service and enough fuel to last the event were also required. Copied to key figures like the Hon. Speaker Advocate J.F.N. Mudenda, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr. M. Rushwaya, and ZETDC’s Chief Executive Officer Engineer Cletus Nyachowe, the request showed high-level involvement.
Despite this, the generator failed midway through the SONA. Insiders say ZESA engineers acted fast to restore grid power, but the delay in “lifting the breaker” – a technical step to shift sources – left the hall dark for those crucial minutes. This mismatch between planning and execution has led to calls for better coordination between Parliament, local government, and ZESA.
Parliament lacks its own standby generator for everyday use, relying on arrangements like this for big events. The New Parliament Building, a modern facility, still falls victim to the same grid issues affecting the whole nation.
Broader Context: Zimbabwe’s Chronic Energy Crisis Exposed
The SONA blackout shines a harsh light on Zimbabwe’s deep-seated power problems. The country faces daily outages of up to 20 hours in some areas, driven by a drought that has slashed output at Kariba Dam, the main electricity source. Last week, ZESA took Hwange Power Station’s Unit 8 offline for repairs, with Unit 3 already out for maintenance. This leaves generation at about 1,296 MW against a peak demand of 2,000 MW, forcing more load shedding.
Rural areas suffer the most, but even urban centres and key sites like Parliament are not spared. Efforts to boost supply through independent power producers and rural electrification programmes were mentioned in the SONA, but progress is slow. The government aims to increase energy security, yet incidents like this show how far there is to go.
Links to Scandals: The Wicknell Chivayo Gwanda Solar Debacle
Many link the outage to scandals like the Gwanda solar project, awarded to businessman Wicknell Chivayo in 2015. Zimbabwe has poured over USD 23 million into the 100 MW plant, including USD 5 million upfront to Chivayo and another USD 18 million recently. Yet, after a decade, no solar panels stand, and the project remains stalled amid corruption probes.
Chivayo, known for his lavish lifestyle – private jets, luxury cars, and mansions – has admitted in court to taking funds without delivering. Critics question why no arrests have followed, seeing it as a sign of protection from high places. Social media reactions to the SONA cut tied it directly to this, with one user saying, “The opposition can turn off the lights, but they can’t stop Resolution No. 1,” referring to ZANU-PF’s push for Mnangagwa to extend his rule to 2030.
This scandal fuels public anger over mismanaged funds that could have eased the energy crunch.
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