Wrong decision to suspend ZETDC boss, a symptom of shallow thinking

In what can only be described as a knee-jerk reaction, the decision by Cletus Nyachowe to "fire" and later suspend Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) Managing Director Abel Gurupira over a technical fault is not just misguided it is dangerously shortsighted.

For years, experts have warned that Zimbabwe's governance structure desperately needs more engineers and technically minded individuals in Parliament people capable of thinking on their feet when dealing with complex infrastructural and power system issues. This latest decision proves that call right.

How can the Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, demand the dismissal of a professional over a technical fault, something that could happen even in the most advanced systems on earth? It betrays not only a lack of understanding of technical realities but also a deeper failure of leadership logic.

The bigger question remains: Why didn't the Government of Zimbabwe negotiate for a hybrid power supply system combining solar and grid electricity when engaging the Chinese for the construction of the new Parliament building? That oversight lies at the policy level, not with ZETDC management.

Instead of holding accountable those responsible for poor long-term planning, we are punishing a hardworking engineer operating under a shoestring budget. Gurupira and his team have kept Zimbabwe's power grid afloat under immense strain, often with limited resources and outdated infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the same government that cannot fund robust backup systems at the national Parliament finds it fit to dish out luxury cars and US$150,000 cash rewards to individuals who contribute little to the national economy, some even parading around in torn clothes, carrying empty bags, yet hailed as "heroes."

Zimbabwe must stop scapegoating professionals who hold the country's infrastructure together. The real issue lies not with ZETDC's engineers but with a leadership class that prizes loyalty and spectacle over competence and foresight.

Until we have technocrats in Parliament and government, capable of making informed decisions, such embarrassments will continue at the expense of those genuinely trying to keep the lights on.

Engineer Abel Gurupira should be returned to work to keep the national grid working.