IT'S DEFINITELY SABOTAGE" - Temba Mliswa explodes following parliament power outage

In a dramatic and immediate fallout, the Managing Director of the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), Eng. Abel Gurupira, has been suspended from duty effective immediately.

The move comes just hours after a major power outage plunged Parliament into darkness on Tuesday while President Emmerson Mnangagwa was delivering his crucial State of the Nation Address (SONA).

"Pending Investigation"

An internal memo from ZESA Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer (A), Eng C. Nyachowe, confirmed the suspension.

The letter, dated 28 October 2025, states: "I am hereby suspending you from duty pending investigations, following a spate of power outages prior to commencement of the ZANU PF Conference in Mutare, and during the State of the Nation Address in Parliament..."

According to the memo, Eng. Gurupira will remain on full pay and benefits during the suspension but is not to communicate with ZESA Holdings Group staff.

"Sabotage or Gross Incompetence?"

The incident has already drawn sharp condemnation, with outspoken political figure Temba Mliswa labeling the outage "suspicious" and suggestive of "sabotage."

In a statement, Mliswa alleged the blackout's objective was "to create a situation for security to panic and ED would not be able to finish his SONA address."

He pointed out that this is not an isolated incident, recalling a similar blackout that interrupted a budget speech in November 2024.

"Heads must roll because this speaks of either sabotage or gross incompetence both of which necessitate firing people!" Mliswa stated.

He did, however, credit the President for "sticking to his program, reading the statement until he finished" instead of panicking.

A "Frustrated Restlessness"

Mliswa went further, interpreting the event as a sign of internal political manoeuvring.

"This latest occurrence however betrays the frustrated restlessness of some ambitious individuals to whom caution should be advised," he warned.

He added a cryptic message against "human machinations," stating that "National leadership positions are spiritual... Learn to be satisfied with what you have."

The suspension of Eng. Gurupira signals that authorities are treating the high-profile failure with utmost seriousness as investigations begin. - Zimbo LIVE London