Zimbabwe should opt going for a referendum on whether or not to postpone elections : Linda Masarira

30 December 2022

As 2022 comes to an end, the nation is now gripped with an election fever which has further polarized the political economy. From a pragmatic perspective, I don't think that we need elections in 2023. The political atmosphere has been tense for a while promising a very intolerant, violent and bloody election.

One of our biggest tragedies has been the adoption of everything that was left by the Smith regime without interrogating the social impacts thereof. Why have we failed to draw up our own unique governance system that works for Zimbabwe? Even our constitution is constituted of borrowed clauses. 

As we 2023 dawn's upon us, it is imperative to consider having a referendum to postpone elections until such a time when we have stability, peace and unity of purpose. 

In 2023, am looking forward to an end of the currency volatility in our country that has caused so much uncertainty and suffering for most ordinary Zimbabweans. I am also looking forward to all political party leaders taking off their political jackets and pledging to unite for a common cause of developing Zimbabwe.

In as much as elections are a constitutional requirement, there is a time we should also be honest with ourselves and accept the reality that Elections In Zimbabwe Are A Peace Spoiler.

Elections are ever disputed no matter what happens

Electoral violence is inevitable due to serious power contestation. The Western world has a bone to chew with Zimbabwe over the Land Reform program.

The Western Block will never declare our elections free and fair.

The Western Block will forever maintain SANCTIONS ON ZIMBABWE in order to institute Regime Change.

Elections create a conducive environment for the Western Block to further divide us, whilst we are at that time when we need unity of purpose to revive our country.

The Western Block will always want to exploit us as Africa.

The Western Block wants to fight the Eastern Block by using us.

Zimbabwe and Africa need a strategy to resolve the issue of Sanctions. The only way to resolve them is to beat the at their own game. If I had it my way, I would opt for the suspension of elections for the next ten years, form a unity government that will work towards reviving Zimbabwe, rehabilitating our infrastructure and reuniting the Zimbabwean people. 

Zimbabwe and Africa need total FREEDOM other than Independence alone

Zimbabwe and Africa need to be more clever than the Western Block

 

Zimbabwe needs to postpone elections and go for an inclusive National Dialogue. This is a MORALE Act which noone can 

Condemn in the world

The National Dialogue should be inclusive and ACTORS should be

)Government 

)All political parties

) Churches

)Labour movements

)Business Community

)CSOs

)Traditional Leaders

) Academia

etc

An All Stakeholders Conference should produce the Zimbabwe Charter containing all contentious and outstanding issues.

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira

LEAD President

Linda Masarira : Energy poverty in Zimbabwe: Solutions thereof

6 December 2022

Over half of Zimbabwe's population has no access to electricity and have been living with energy poverty all their lives neither do they have clean cooking solutions. Lack of electricity access and ongoing woodfuel use, must be rooted in notions of equity, fairness, and justice. Application of energy justice provides insights into how policy stakeholders are responding to complex and interconnected issues of energy generation and access in low-income settings. A just response to these energy challenges is possible, only if it is built on local inclusive governance with fairer and effective systems of investment.

Millions of Zimbabweans are being left behind because of energy poverty, which impacts almost every aspect of what it means to live modern, dignified lives. Lack of electricity impacts healthcare, education, food security, public safety and economic opportunity. In the absence of reliable electricity, many resort to use of firewood, gas and fuel-dependent generators that come at a high economic and environmental price. Without clean cooking solutions, smoke inhalation prematurely kills millions of people a year globally, most of those being women and children.

However, vulnerability to climate changes is increased by an overreliance on hydropower for energy provision; the shortage of water in Kariba dam has led to incessant blackouts which are now affecting production and livelihoods. Sadly, we have a Minister of Energy Soda Zhemu who is operating more like a minister of information for energy as he lacks the impetus to resolve the energy crisis in Zimbabwe. 

The climate crisis and energy crisis are closely linked and require urgent action. As long as there is no electricity, Zimbabweans resort to firewood and charcoal which causes deforestation thereby impacting our climate adversely. As a nation we are failing to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 which focuses on achieving affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Our government lacks sincerity in dealing with the energy crisis, with the energy ministry now just more of an information ministry on energy with no tangible sustainable solutions to the energy crisis and poverty in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe should seriously consider renovation of existing power plants, modernizing the grids because building of new power lines is costly. One of the ways to resolve energy poverty, is Energy decentralization; shifting from electricity production in few big power plants to a system of small local energy sources that ensure energy is consumed as close as possible to its source, even on the level of individual residential buildings. 

Another way is to consider use of solar energy for all domestic energy use and invest in the mini-grid and off-grid solar sector. Mini-grids and off-grid solar represent an enormous opportunity to address energy access without the challenges associated with standard grid electrification. This model will help to end energy poverty. It will also assist in ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education (SDG 4) as all children regardless of being in urban or rural schools will be able to fulfill their ICT, Science and CALA curriculum. Rural students have greatly been disenfranchised education wise by energy poverty.

Reimagining how we deliver energy services for households, businesses, buildings, transport, and public services will help ensure sustainable, constant & reliable supply of energy. Scaled-up off-grid renewable energy will do well in many contexts and must be prioritized. This must be supported by improved regulatory frameworks, with greater finance commitnent and innovative business models allowing the off-grid market to reach its full potential. 

We can provide energy access to underserved populations at lower costs if we develop integrated energy plans that take a holistic approach and encompass both on and off-grid energy solutions. Grid expansion is predominantly employed as the approach for providing electricity access. Off-grid technologies are a more economically viable alternative for remote areas where the grid might too expensive to reach. Off-grid renewable energy solutions, including mini-grids and stand-alone solar systems offer a least-cost approach to electrification.

The Ministry of energy need policy reforms and the adoption of sustainable and innovative business models and financial instruments to accelerate the deployment of finance to the energy sector to fast track renewable energy projects. Formalization of licenses for private sector mini-grid developers and the implementation of a coherent national policy around subsidy planning would increase the viability of private sector involvement in the energy sector.

Lastly, we should take advantage of our ever growing population to generate biogas from human faeces. It was discovered that renewable energy devices are quite expensive; hence, the biogas option for cooking and powering gas generators seem to be sustainable as its technology can be modified to suit the users' financial base. Therefore, it is projected that if the human excreta biogas can be adopted, Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa will soon overcome the energy crisis through the doggedness of its standalone users.

We need to copy best practices from advanced countries that have many sources of energy generation which service different sectors of the economy. Our main energy sources hydro and thermal have evidently failed to provide reliable energy. Sadly, our policymakers, energy companies and government have shown docility in tackling the problem headlong. We can nolonger have the priviledge of just commenting on the energy crisis, we need to power up our country. 

Together We Can develop a better and brighter Zimbabwe.