Mnangagwa delivers SONA in darkness

President Emmerson Mnangagwa read the final 10 minutes of his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in near darkness after a sudden power outage plunged Parliament into darkness on Tuesday afternoon.

An aide was seen holding a torch to help the President finish his speech. Moments after Mnangagwa concluded, power was mysteriously restored - prompting Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda to suggest the blackout was not accidental.

"The person who switched off electricity while the President was speaking will regret the day he was born," Mudenda told MPs, vowing that Parliament would "chase the culprit."

Mudenda later apologised to the President - who had already left the chamber - for the embarrassing incident, saying an investigation had been launched to determine the cause.

Mnangagwa appeared visibly irritated as he exited the building. Witnesses said one of his aides attempted to stop him from continuing the address under torchlight, but the President insisted on finishing.

This is the second time such an incident has occurred. In November last year, lights went out during the presentation of the national budget, also in Mnangagwa's presence. At the time, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) blamed the outage on "an act of nature," saying thunderstorms and high winds had caused tripping at a 132kV feeder supplying Parliament through the Mt Hampden substation.

The latest disruption, however, has triggered speculation of sabotage, given its timing and Mudenda's unusually strong remarks.

Officials from ZESA and Parliament had not yet issued a formal explanation by late Tuesday.