Online Reporter
Mukudzei Chingwere in VICTORIA FALLS
ZIMBABWE will place clean and renewable energy at the centre of regional debate as the country hosts the 2026 SADC Sustainable Energy Week.
Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo has said the gathering provides a platform to showcase domestic progress on gas, biogas and other renewable technologies while encouraging wider public participation.
The week‑long event, which is expected to be formally opened by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga today, brings together ministerial delegations and energy experts from across the Southern African Development Community to deliberate on the region’s energy future.
Minister Moyo described Zimbabwe’s agenda as practical and people‑focused, highlighting the expanding role of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in urban centres as a cleaner alternative to electricity for cooking.
He said efforts are underway to extend LPG uptake into rural communities through state‑owned PetroTrade, ensuring that the benefits of clean cooking reach beyond the cities.
“We are using this 2026 SADC Sustainable Energy Week to promote clean energy, that is why we have called on many Zimbabweans to participate and to exhibit,” said Minister Moyo.
“We are happy that SADC countries are represented at ministerial level and some at permanent secretary level. All of them have one wish: to have sustainable renewable energies in our region.
“But as for Zimbabwe, our LPG is expanding. Clean cooking is a major driver that we are doing as part of our energy compact. Most of you in the urban areas are now using gas for cooking rather than using electricity and we encourage this to be expanded to rural areas. Through PetroTrade, we are reaching out to rural communities.”
Complementing the LPG push, Minister Moyo said biogas is gaining traction among farmers and households as an off‑grid, affordable source of energy with multiple applications.
He urged livestock owners, from smallholders to commercial producers, to consider installing biogas digesters as a viable supplement to grid electricity.
