Lawmakers have called on the Government to prioritise a sustainable, homegrown solution to Zimbabwe’s persistent transformer shortages, stressing the need for stronger collaboration between the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development and the Ministry of Energy and Power Development.
Speaking during the 2026 Pre-Budget Seminar, Members of Parliament said delays in repairing and replacing transformers were undermining service delivery, industrial productivity, and rural electrification efforts.
They noted that tapping into local innovation and technical capacity from universities and polytechnics could reduce reliance on imports, lower costs, and shorten turnaround times — ultimately contributing to a more reliable national power supply.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development, Charlton Hwende, announced a significant policy breakthrough regarding the Rural Electrification Agency.
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“Yesterday, I presented the report of the Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development at the Pre-Budget Seminar. I am pleased to report that our Committee's advocacy had an immediate and significant impact,” Hwende said.
He revealed that the Committee successfully lobbied for the reinstatement of government funding for the REA in the 2025 and 2026 national budgets, after funding had previously been suspended.
“We are grateful to the Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube, and the Permanent Secretary, Mr. George Guvamatanga, for their positive response. They agreed to reinstate the funding for the REA for the 2025 and 2026 national budgets. This is a crucial win for rural development,” he said.
Hwende added that the REA is mandated to electrify all clinics and primary and secondary schools by December 2026 — a total of 1,995 institutions. However, he noted that the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company had failed to remit US$109 million in rural electricity levies to the agency despite collecting the funds.
“This failure denied millions of rural citizens their right to access electricity. Our Committee secured Treasury’s intervention to compel ZETDC to remit the owed funds,” he said.
To prevent future shortfalls, Treasury will introduce an automated system ensuring the REA is instantly credited with its statutory 6% rural electricity levy each time consumers purchase electricity.
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