Ministry runs out of forex to install prepaid electricity meters

Samuel Undenge, the Minister of Energy and Power Development, has blamed the shortage of foreign currency for the failure to install prepaid electricity metres.  Currently only  11 200 electricity metres have been procured from the 130 000 that were ordered.

Addressing parliament, Undenge said:

Glen Norah is among several Harare suburbs including Mufakose, Mbare, Mabvuku and Dzivarasekwa, where over 100 000 prepaid meter installations are still outstanding.

The second phase of prepaid meter installations that covers Glen Norah and the other suburbs has been delayed due to non-delivery of meters by our suppliers who were awarded the tender to supply 130 000 prepaid meters.

To date, only 11 200 meters have been delivered as the foreign manufacturers are not getting adequate foreign currency allocation to deliver the meters.