Power outage disrupts SONA, President Mnangagwa completes speech using torchlight
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa delivered the final 10 minutes of his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in near darkness on Tuesday afternoon after a sudden power outage struck Parliament.
Reports said an aide held a torch to help Mnangagwa finish reading his speech.
Moments after he concluded, the power was restored.
A video shared by Zimbabwe-based outlet ZimLive showed the Parliament chamber briefly illuminated by flickering lights.
According to the publication, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda later apologised to Mnangagwa, who had already left the building, for the disruption.
He reportedly vowed to identify the person responsible, saying they would “regret the day they were born.”
Mnangagwa appeared visibly angry as he left.
According to reports, an aide attempted to persuade him to stop reading under torchlight, but the president insisted on finishing his address.
This was not the first time such an incident had occurred.
In November last year, a power cut disrupted the national budget presentation, which Mnangagwa also attended.
At the time, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) blamed the outage on “an act of nature,” citing thunderstorms and high winds that caused tripping at a 132kV feeder supplying Parliament via the Mt Hampden substation.
According to the publication, Tuesday’s SONA was delivered under generator power after Parliament specifically requested ZESA to serve as the standby power source.
A letter from the acting clerk of Parliament, dated October 21, and addressed to the Secretary for Local Government and Public Works, had requested assurances of uninterrupted power during the event.
“We request your Ministry’s coordination and oversight in ensuring the uninterrupted supply of power during the State of the Nation Address (SONA), which has been tentatively scheduled for October 28, 2025 at Parliament Building,” the letter read.
It stated that the event would “run using the generator as the primary source of power, with ZETDC power on standby, following previous power disruptions experienced during important sessions.”
The letter also instructed that the generator be serviced, fully tested, and confirmed fit for uninterrupted operation, with ZETDC technical staff present throughout the proceedings.
“Parliament will ensure timely payment to the service provider contracted for the generator service, as well as the provision of adequate fuel to power the system throughout the duration of the event,” it added.
Officials from ZESA and Parliament had not yet issued a formal explanation for the latest outage.
IOL
