THE DAY THE LIGHTS TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT ZIMBABWE

What happened yesterday inside Parliament was not just a power cut. It was a very clear message about the state of our country. When the lights went out while President Emmerson Mnangagwa was giving his State of the Nation Address, it showed the deep failure of leadership we live under every day. The whole chamber went dark and the President had to finish his speech using torchlight. In that moment, the mask came off. The truth of this regime was shown for everyone to see.

In a country where electricity is already a rare thing, Parliament should be the one place where a blackout never happens, especially during a speech by the President. But under ZANU PF, even this is not safe. When the lights went out, panic started quickly. People began blaming each other. Within hours, the Managing Director of the Zimbabwe Electricity and Distribution Company, Abel Gurupira, was suspended. There was no proper investigation. No chance for him to explain. He was simply removed so the powerful could hide from blame.

Energy Minister July Moyo rushed to act, hoping to please a very angry Mnangagwa and an upset Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda. He pushed for Gurupira’s suspension through ZESA’s group CEO, Cletus Nyachowe. An internal memo even said investigations were still going on. But punishment had already happened. So much for fairness. So much for honesty. Everything was done to protect those at the top, not to find the truth.

Now confusion is everywhere. Mudenda and some senior officials say it was sabotage. Others inside Parliament say it was only a technical fault. This is not even the first time Parliament has gone dark during an important programme. It also happened last year. But this time, the darkness felt different. It felt political. It felt moral. It felt like the whole nation was looking into a mirror and seeing decay and weakness.

For those of us who have lived under ZANU PF for 45 years, this blackout was a symbol. The lights going off right in the middle of a speech meant to show strength was not just bad luck. It was reality speaking. Zimbabwe is in darkness. The leadership is confused and lost. Every move they make shows how unprepared they are. Every word exposes their fear. Every excuse shows they have run out of ideas.

If this government cannot keep lights on in Parliament, how can they run hospitals where lives depend on power? How can they run schools where children need a safe place to learn? How can they run water systems, or fix the broken economy, or stop hunger and poverty? The truth is simple. They cannot. They have failed many times before. And they continue to fail today.

Seeing the President finishing his speech with a torch on his face said everything without words. This is not a strong leader. This is a leader who survives by blaming others. This is a government that has no control left.

Zimbabwe needs real light. Not torchlight in Parliament. Not quick fixes that only hide problems for a moment. Not suspensions used to distract people. We need truth, justice, and real change. We need to remove this old and rotten system that keeps dragging us deeper into darkness. The blackout in Parliament lasted only a few minutes. But the blackout of our country under ZANU PF has lasted for decades. It is time to switch on a new future and walk away from this darkness once and for all.