SOLAR POWER STRUGGLE: HARARE MAYOR MAFOUME SLAMS COUNCILORS FOR FAILING TO DELIVER ON GREEN ENERGY PLAN
In a scathing rebuke, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has lambasted his fellow councillors for their failure to develop a green energy plan, which would have harnessed the city's potential to switch to solar power.The mayor's outburst comes as the city grapples with crippling power outages, with residents facing over 10 hours of daily blackouts.
RURAL COUNCILS LEAD THE WAY IN RENEWABLE ENERGY
Mafume's frustration is palpable, as he highlights the stark contrast between Harare's inaction and the progress made by rural councils. "Rural district councils are putting up eight megawatt stations, and a city the size of Harare does not have a renewable energy plan," he lamented. "It's unacceptable that we, with our financial capacity and potential, are lagging behind."COUNCIL'S BUSINESS COMMITTEE UNDER FIRE
The mayor's criticism is directed squarely at the council's Business Committee, which he accuses of dilly-dallying and failing to make a decision on the solar project. |
| Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume |
"I told people that we needed to have solar plants by now to have a homegrown solution for energy," Mafume said. "But the business committee is still avoiding coming up with a decision."
POWER CRISIS WORSENS IN HARARE
The consequences of Harare's inaction are being felt by residents, who are bearing the brunt of the power crisis. The city's reliance on the national grid, which is struggling to meet demand, has resulted in prolonged power outages. The situation is further exacerbated by the subdued power generation at Zimbabwe's main power stations, Kariba and Hwange.EXPERT INSIGHTS
We spoke to energy expert, Dr. Tawanda Makoni, who highlighted the importance of Harare's green energy plan. "The city's failure to develop a renewable energy plan is a missed opportunity to reduce its reliance on the national grid and mitigate the impact of power outages," he said. "Harare's financial capacity and potential make it an ideal candidate for solar power, and it's disappointing that the council is not taking advantage of this."WHAT'S NEXT FOR HARARE?
As Harare struggles to manage the power crisis, the city's residents are left wondering what the future holds. Will the council finally take action on the green energy plan, or will the city continue to lag behind rural councils? The answer lies in the hands of the Business Committee, which must now take decisive action to address the city's energy needs.YOUR TURN: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think is the solution to Harare's power crisis? Should the city prioritize solar power, or explore other renewable energy options?.png "Sona Solar Zimbabwe")
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