ZESA Not To Blame: Parliament Reveals Real Reason Behind Mnangagwa SONA Power Cut

Real Reason Behind Mnangagwa SONA Power Cut Revealed

The Parliament of Zimbabwe has declared that the national power utility, Zesa, is not responsible for the dramatic blackout that plunged President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) into darkness. The incident occurred on Tuesday, 28 October 2025, creating a major spectacle as the President addressed the nation.

In an official press statement released on the same day, the Clerk of Parliament, K.M. Chokuda, offered “sincere apologies” for the power loss. The statement provided a detailed and unexpected technical explanation for the embarrassing event, shifting the focus away from the frequently blamed national grid.

A Tripped Breaker In The Dark

According to the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the blackout was not caused by a lack of electricity. The Parliament building was already operating on its backup generator at the time, with the main Zesa supply acting only as a standby. The generator itself was reportedly still running when the lights went out. The official cause is said to be a tripped circuit breaker.

The statement read:

“Preliminary investigations indicate that a circuit breaker supplying the load had tripped. The restoration took longer than expected, resulting in part of the SONA being delivered without power supply.”

This failure in a key piece of internal electrical equipment meant that even though the generator was functional, its power could not reach the parliamentary chambers. The prolonged restoration effort left the President and the assembled dignitaries in a difficult situation during a key national event.

An Investigation Launched Amidst National Embarrassment

The Parliament has confirmed that a joint investigation is now underway. Multiple government bodies are involved in the probe to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the circuit breaker failure. The goal is to ensure such a public failure does not happen again.

The press statement confirmed:

“The Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, ZESA and other Government Agencies are investigating the incident and will report to the Nation what transpired, as well as put in place measures to avoid recurrence.”

This collaborative effort aims to provide a full account to the public. The nation now waits to hear the final findings of this high-level investigation into the blackout that overshadowed a presidential address.