ZETDC Managing Director suspended over power outage during Mnangagwa’s SONA

By Thandiwe Garusa

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has suspended Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) acting Managing Director Abel Gurupira pending investigations into recent power failures that occurred during key events, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament on Tuesday.

Gurupira’s suspension follows the embarrassing incident in which Mnangagwa was forced to complete his SONA using torchlight after an unexpected blackout plunged the new Parliament Building into darkness.

Power was restored approximately ten minutes later, just after Mnangagwa had concluded his address.

Following the incident, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda hinted at possible sabotage, warning that the culprit “will regret the day they were born.”

Parliament later issued a statement explaining that during the event, the building was running on generator power, with ZESA electricity on standby. However, a circuit breaker supplying the load tripped, resulting in the blackout.

In an internal memo seen by this publication, ZESA Group Chief Executive Officer Cletus Nyachowe informed Gurupira of his immediate suspension pending a full investigation.

“I am hereby suspending you from duty pending investigations, following a spate of power outages prior to the commencement of the ZANU PF Conference in Mutare and during the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on the 28th of October 2025,” Nyachowe wrote.

The correspondence stated that Gurupira would remain on full pay and benefits during the suspension period.

“During the period of suspension, you are not to communicate with any ZESA Holdings Group staff,” Nyachowe added.