The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has announced a rare stretch of power stability, reporting 61 days of minimal electricity interruptions, including 41 consecutive days without load shedding — a milestone that has drawn both praise and scepticism from the public.
The announcement was made by George Manyaya, the outgoing General Manager for Stakeholder Relations, Communication and Welfare at ZESA Holdings, during a farewell address in Harare on Friday, 30 January, marking the end of his four-year tenure.
41 Day No Load Shedding
“Let this be known in history that as I leave today, ZESA marks 41 days of continuous non-load shedding — yes, none — and 61 days of only one hour load shedding at peak,” said Manyaya.
For many citizens in Zimbabwe, the statement came as a surprise. Load shedding has long been part of daily life, with households and businesses often enduring outages lasting several hours a day. Over the years, unreliable electricity has disrupted manufacturing, retail operations, healthcare services, education, and remote work, forcing many families to invest in generators, solar systems, or alternative energy sources.
ZESA’s power generation subsidiary, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), is currently producing just under 1,200 megawatts — still significantly below the country’s peak demand of around 2,000 megawatts. Under normal circumstances, this shortfall would typically result in widespread load shedding.
Despite this gap, ZESA managed to maintain a relatively stable national supply for several weeks. While the utility has not publicly outlined the full strategy behind the achievement, electricity imports from neighbouring countries are widely believed to have helped bridge the deficit and ease pressure on the grid.
However, even as ZESA reports progress at a national level, public reaction tells a more complicated story.
Across social media platforms, many Zimbabweans have challenged the utility’s claims, with users in comment sections saying they have gone days without power. Residents from various suburbs reported ongoing outages affecting cooking, small businesses, online work, and school activities. Some questioned how nationwide stability could be declared while entire communities remain without electricity.
No Load Shedding Really?
The contrasting experiences have highlighted a familiar frustration: while official figures may point to improvement, electricity access on the ground appears uneven. For many households, load shedding remains a daily struggle, reinforcing long-standing concerns around inconsistent communication and unequal power distribution.
The recent period of reduced outages has nevertheless sparked cautious optimism among businesses and consumers. Analysts note that sustained relief will depend on long-term investment in generation capacity, infrastructure upgrades, and diversified energy sources, as ageing plants and rising demand continue to strain the system.
Leadership Transition at ZESA
Meanwhile, Manyaya is preparing to take on a new leadership role. He has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and is expected to officially assume the position on 1 February 2026.
His departure comes at a pivotal moment for ZESA, as the utility balances leadership changes with heightened public scrutiny following its announcement of reduced load shedding — and growing calls from citizens for more consistent, reliable power across all communities.
