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President Mnangagwa’s Bright Ideas Dimmed by National Blackout During Address

Harare, Zimbabwe – An embarrassing power outage interrupted President Emerson Mnangagwa mid-speech during an official event, forcing the head of state to continue his address by the light of a portable lamp.

The incident, captured in photographs circulating on social media, shows President Mnangagwa seated at his desk in traditional attire, attempting to read his prepared remarks while an aide holds an emergency light over the documents. A second official can be seen standing nearby as the room plunged into darkness.

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The power cut occurred at what appeared to be a formal government function, with the President visibly pressing on with his speech despite the technical difficulties. The scene has quickly become symbolic of Zimbabwe’s ongoing electricity crisis, which has affected everyone from ordinary citizens to the highest office in the land.

Zimbabwe has been grappling with severe power shortages for years, with load-shedding lasting up to 18 hours daily in some areas. The country’s aging infrastructure and low water levels at the Kariba Dam hydroelectric facility have contributed to the chronic energy deficit.

The timing of the outage proved particularly awkward, as it demonstrated that even state functions are not immune to the power supply problems that have crippled businesses, hospitals, and homes across the nation. The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has not yet commented on the incident.

Opposition politicians and social media users have seized upon the moment, with many pointing out the irony of the President experiencing firsthand the daily struggles faced by millions of Zimbabweans. Some have called for urgent investment in the country’s energy sector and exploration of alternative power sources.

This is not the first time high-profile events in Zimbabwe have been disrupted by power failures, but the incident involving the President himself has brought renewed attention to the severity of the nation’s electricity crisis.