Row looms over contributions to restore power in Kezi

Kezi Business Centre, Maphisa Growth Point and Sun Yet Sen have been reportedly without electricity since last week, after going for more than a week without power during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Businesspeople have raised concern that they are losing business because their perishable groceries were rotting.
Some businesspeople who phoned Chronicle offices on Monday said they were now being forced to contribute $5 each while villagers were being made to pay one dollar per household for the repair of fallen Zesa power lines near Makwe Irrigation Scheme between Maphisa and Gwanda.
The contributions have irked businessmen and some villagers who feel they are being swindled, as they do not know where the money is going.
However, Zesa spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira distanced the power utility from the act and urged the businesspeople and villagers not to pay the money, saying the practice was illegal.
Some businesspeople said they did not understand why they were being made to pay for the fallen power lines when they were paying bills.
“We have a problem with Zesa here in Kezi, we had no electricity for nine days during the festive season and we have not been having it again since Thursday last week,” said a businessman who preferred anonymity.
“The problem is that we are being made to contribute five dollars and this is also happening in Maphisa. We do not know where this order came from, all we were told was that some poles fell near Makwe and we should contribute towards restoration of power.”
The businesspeople alleged those collecting the money were taking advantage of the “dreadful” situation knowing businesspeople would do anything to have electricity restored.
Lack of electricity has reportedly also led to water shortages especially in Kezi as the business centre depends on water pumped from Kezi Dam.
They said a certain Kezi businessman, Mr Christopher Nyathi, was moving around collecting the money.
“We just saw a businessman here collecting money saying he had been sent by authorities. Some are paying because they no longer have an option as their goods are rotting. Business has literally stopped and businesspeople are panicking and these people are taking advantage of this,” said another businessman.
Mr Nyathi confirmed he was collecting contributions but said he was facing resistance from people.
He said some authorities in Kezi, who are not Zesa employees, had sent him.
“I was approached and told I should assist by collecting money from the business people and villagers around. Some have paid but others are refusing to contribute. I am taking this money to the authorities who sent me,” he said.
“The truth is that we can no longer work because of lack of power. I have lost about several kilogrammes of meat in my butchery and the same thing happened recently when several other kilogrammes of meat went bad. I understand business operators in Kezi, Maphisa and Sun Yet Sen met and the contributions are being made in all these areas.”
Mr Gwasira said: “Those are not Zesa employees who are collecting money and that is illegal. Whoever is collecting that money is not doing it on behalf of Zesa because we have our own resources to attend to faults. I am shocked to hear that because we do not require such help from anyone. People should immediately stop paying because that money is not even coming to Zesa. As Zesa we do not send anyone to collect money because we have banking halls all over the country where people can make payment. Even if those people are Zesa employees, what they are doing is illegal and we strongly warn our customers not to pay to them because that is illegal.”
Mr Gwasira encouraged clients to contact their nearest Zesa Banking Hall or the general manager southern region in Bulawayo when they have queries.