Harare Mayor Fumes

        “Zesa misled Minister Chasi”

HARARE mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba claims Energy and Power Development minister, Advocate Fortune Chasi was misled when he named and shamed local authorities which owe the power utility.

Minister Chasi, while addressing business leaders,  yesterday revealed that the local authority owed ZESA RTGS $145 million.

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The revelations seem not to have gone down well with Gomba who today took to social media.

 “The correct position is that that statement which came from the minister was not factual. ZESA owes us $135 million for royalties that they have not been paying for nearly 30 years. We are also owed a lot in terms of rent and usage of properties such as Wynn street building, Harare Thermal Power Station and other properties.

 “We have since refused to give them title deeds on the basis that until they come forward to settle what they owe us. We are not going to budge,” said Gomba.

The Harare mayor reckons Zesa should be owned by the Harare City Council.

“ZESA was started by municipal assets so we must be a major shareholder, not the current situation where it falls under central government. It is our company,” he charged.

Mayor Gomba also accused the power utility of billing council for non-functional streetlights.

“They have been sending estimated bills to us and we hope they will see sense in approaching council and give us proper bills,” he said.

Gomba revealed that he plans to meet Minister Chasi to clear the air.

 “l will engage the minister. ZESA people are misleading him. They have a tendency of forgetting easily.”