News / National
Tsvangirai sabotages ZESA
14 Mar 2012 at 04:36hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has voluntarily admitted that he was among senior politicians sabotaging ZESA by not paying bills but at the same time encouraging poor citizens to own up.
Tsvangirai's bill had shot up to more than $5000 at his Strathaven residency in Harare.
On Tuesday the told the House of Assembly that : "Personally, I have had to pay a $5,000 bill at my residence in Strathaven…. i paid and so should you!"
He only paid up after Zesa officials threatened to cut off supplies but did not say for how long he was defaulting.
Tsvangirai later lectured legislators on the importance of paying bills.
"There is a vicious circle where if consumers do not pay up, ZESA cannot invest in new capital equipment and will remain unable to service its debts," he said.
"We have to get out of this vicious circle. As government, we call upon everyone to pay their bills, including ministers and top officials that I have heard are not paying up.
He added, "If one does not have the money, it is important to sit down with ZESA officials and come up with a payment plan."
Recently, it was revealed that Cabinet ministers, senior civil servants and MPs are bleeding the Zesa dry by refusing to pay electricity bills at their private properties and using political muscle to avoid being switched off.
Some of the "big chefs" reportedly owing large amounts to Zesa include Manicaland governor Christopher Mushohwe, whose outstanding bill is $145 000, and Secretary for Energy and Power Development Justin Mupamhanga ($20 000).
Many government ministers' bills reportedly range between $20 000 and $100 000 each with most of them having been accumulated at their farms, businesses or private homes.
Tsvangirai's bill had shot up to more than $5000 at his Strathaven residency in Harare.
On Tuesday the told the House of Assembly that : "Personally, I have had to pay a $5,000 bill at my residence in Strathaven…. i paid and so should you!"
He only paid up after Zesa officials threatened to cut off supplies but did not say for how long he was defaulting.
Tsvangirai later lectured legislators on the importance of paying bills.
"There is a vicious circle where if consumers do not pay up, ZESA cannot invest in new capital equipment and will remain unable to service its debts," he said.
"We have to get out of this vicious circle. As government, we call upon everyone to pay their bills, including ministers and top officials that I have heard are not paying up.
He added, "If one does not have the money, it is important to sit down with ZESA officials and come up with a payment plan."
Recently, it was revealed that Cabinet ministers, senior civil servants and MPs are bleeding the Zesa dry by refusing to pay electricity bills at their private properties and using political muscle to avoid being switched off.
Some of the "big chefs" reportedly owing large amounts to Zesa include Manicaland governor Christopher Mushohwe, whose outstanding bill is $145 000, and Secretary for Energy and Power Development Justin Mupamhanga ($20 000).
Many government ministers' bills reportedly range between $20 000 and $100 000 each with most of them having been accumulated at their farms, businesses or private homes.
Source - Byo24News
