ZESA says NO to Chiwenga's 2023 budget address

VICE President and health minister Constantino Chiwenga's 2023 budget presentation was Monday afternoon interrupted by a ZESA power in a poignant moment for the country's top leadership.

Ordinary Zimbabweans have been struggling with daily power cuts, often lasting 16 hours and disrupting people's daily chores and sources of livelihood in an economy that has struggled for nearly two decades.

The leadership are, ordinarily, spared the bother due to perks of high office.

However, Chiwenga's presentation of his Ministry's bid for the 2023 national budget at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) was checked by ZESA's inability to continuously keep the lights on.

Opposition legislators gleefully shouted ‘Soda, where is Soda; where is Soda!", referring to energy and power development Soda Zhemu.

Citizens Coalition for Change's Harare East MP, Tendai Biti, cheekily called for the return of Soda's predecessor Fortune Chasi.

"Soda, Soda! NdiSoda, ari kupi? Chasi ngaadzoke). Soda ari kuUZ (University of Zimbabwe)."

Chiwenga took it all in is stride and ploughed on with his presentation, telling the MPs, "Can you hear me; can you hear me?

"I know Hon. Soda must be doing something. Can we have progress, Honourable Biti?"

The MPs said they could not hear, or see the vice president and asked him to stand.

Chiwenga obliged and continued with his presentation.

The hotel then switched on alternative power, possibly from a generator power.

Chiwenga then sat on his chair saying, "I think electricity is now back."

But the opposition MPs shouted, "It's not electricity, it's a generator which is running!"

Chiwenga jokingly responded, "It's still ZESA; it does not matter whether it's a generator or not."