BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA/ VARAIDZO MUDEWAIRI
AN abrupt power cut yesterday interrupted President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Heroes’ Day commemoration speech, the second power cut in three weeks to disrupt him during an address.
On July 20, 2022, Mnangagwa was again interrupted by a power outage in the middle of his speech during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Cyber City in Mt Hampden, Harare.
At the National Heroes Acre in Harare, power was restored after about one minute. Zanu PF youths burst into song to rescue their party leader who seemed confused following the power blackout.
“Power is back. We continue,” Mnangagwa said in order to regain public attention.
Zimbabwe is facing a power crisis which has resulted in power utility, Zesa Holdings, increasing load shedding and Mnangagwa engaging his Zambian and Mozambican counterparts Hakainde Hichilema and Filipe Nyusi, respectively, to import power to help resolve the crisis.
Energy minister Zhemu Soda said government was making frantic efforts to ease the power cuts through imports and rehabilitation of the Hwange Thermal Power Station.
Zimbabwe requires more than 2 000 megawatts of electricity monthly to meet power demand.
Meanwhile, during yesterday’s event at the national shrine Mnangagwa gave awards to Zimbabweans who excelled in different areas.
Mnangagwa unveiled the awards as the President Robert Mugabe, Vice-President Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo and Herbert Pfumaindini Chitepo awards.
Scholar, Professor Robson Manyuwa Mafoti was awarded the Robert Gabriel Mugabe human development and outstanding leadership award for his services in science and human capital development.
The Herbert Chitepo commendation award for justice and human rights went to Professor Simbi Mubako for his work in justice and human rights. The award is given to a distinguished and consistent person in pursuit of justice and human rights for the greater good of the country.
The Joshua Nqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo commendation award for agriculture, community development, peace building and fostering unity posthumously went to the late Ephraim Havazvidi.
Retired judge, Justice Sibusiso Sibanda was also posthumously awarded with the honour of Herbert Chitepo award for Justice and Human Rights.
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