Zim receiving 40m litres of fuel

Norman Muchemwa
The country has started receiving 40 million litres of both diesel and petrol as of yesterday, a move that is likely to ease the prevailing fuel shortages being experienced, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Addressing journalists in a post-Cabinet media briefing Wednesday morning at Munhumutapa offices, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Honourable Monica Mutsvangwa said: “Cabinet also was briefed on the energy and fuel supply situation by the acting Minister of Energy and Power Development, Dr Sekai Nzenza. The Minister informed Cabinet that a total of 40 million litres of the combined fuel product is currently being pumped into the country,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa also said that the Minister of Energy and Power Development, Advocate Fortune Chasi, is still in South Africa for electricity supply negotiations.
“On the power front it was reported that the Minister of Energy and Power Development is currently in South Africa for electricity supply negotiations with Eskom. The nation will be appraised of the final negotiations at an appropriate time.”
To that end, Cabinet has resolved to set up an Inter-Ministerial committee to find a lasting solution on the prevailing challenges in the power and energy sector.
“In the meantime, Cabinet resolved to set up an Inter-Ministerial committee to work closely with the Minister of Energy and Power Development in order to facilitate a collective approach in the resolution of the prevailing power and energy supply challenges being experienced in our country.
“It is critical that at this point we will put our heads together and that is why Cabinet has resolved to come up with an Inter-Ministerial committee,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She added, “The Inter-Ministerial committee will serve as a platform through which players in the critical sectors of the economy will channel their proposals and contributions to solve the prevailing energy and power challenges for consideration by the Ministry and Zimbabwe Power Company.”
Due to the technical nature in the power supply, she said, the Ministry of Energy and Power Development will have the discretion to deal with proposals brought through the committee.
The Inter-Ministerial committee will be chaired by the Minister of Energy and Power Development and comprise the Ministers of Industry and Commerce, Finance and Economic Development as well as Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
The Ministers of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, Mines and Mining Development, Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services and Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services will also form part of the committee.