At the Crossroads: The Impacts of Power Cuts in MKOBA, GWERU, Zimbabwe

The significance of electricity in maintaining the quality of household lives cannot be overemphasised. As an important ingredient of any economy, a continuous supply of electricity is essential for human development and poverty alleviation. This paper explores the impacts of power cuts in Mkoba Gweru and attempts to unravel the challenges experienced by ordinary Zimbabweans in the face of inconsistencies in supply of electricity. Using an exploratory case study approach, findings indicate that power cuts in Gweru have knock on effects and have led to some kind of ruralisation of urban centres. Households have been forced to resort to traditional and primitive methods of food preservation and seeking alternative power strategies as electricity is no longer reliable. The majority of urban dwellers in Mkoba Gweru have turned to wood fuel as the cheap and relatively available source of fuel. This has resulted in the proliferation of wood markets in urban suburbs and has also attracted a parallel market of illegal wood vendors. As a result of the booming wood fuel business, surrounding communal areas and farms that serve as the sources of wood have witnessed massive environmental damage. Urgent and stringent measures to curb environmental degradation, soaring poverty and boosting investor confidence are needed through increasing power generation capacity of the country and utilisation of alternative sources such as liquid petroleum gas.