From Darkness to Light: Rural Nyanga’s Power Rebirth

The Rural Electrification Fund lights up Nyanga North with a US$319,000 power project, connecting schools, clinics, and 500 households (image source)

NYANGA NORTH — For decades, villages east of Ruwangwe Business Centre lay off Zimbabwe’s electric grid, relying on kerosene lamps and generators. That changed in mid-October when the Rural Electrification Fund commissioned a US$319,000 extension of power lines to Kazozo, Mukunza, and surrounding communities.

At the switching-on ceremony, Energy Minister July Moyo hailed the project as a milestone in the government’s “no one and no place behind” electrification pledge. Local MP Chido Sanyatwe echoed the sentiment: “This investment rewrites our future, lighting homes, schools, and clinics that lay in darkness for too long.”

Moments after the power flowed, Kazozo Secondary School buzzed with activity as evening classes flickered to life under fluorescent bulbs for the first time. “Before, I studied by candlelight and strained my eyes,” said student Rutendo Chikomba. “Now I can prepare for exams without interruption.”

Women at the nearby Mukunza Women’s Centre shared relief over safer, well-lit spaces for vocational training and night-time childcare. “Electricity means security for us and our children,” said centre manager Tarisai Gumbo. The project connects key institutions — primary and secondary schools, a rural health clinic, and more than 500 households. Local entrepreneur Tafadzwa Mandaza has already plugged in his welding shop. “My business can operate longer and serve more customers,” he noted.

Energy sector analyst Brian Mutasa of the Zimbabwe Energy Institute views the Nyanga rollout as emblematic of balanced rural development. “Electrification spurs micro-enterprise formation, boosts agricultural processing, and reduces reliance on biomass, which benefits both livelihoods and the environment.”

Despite the triumph, residents warn of maintenance challenges. Theft of conductors and vandalism remain threats. Traditional leader Chief Mugabe appealed for community vigilance: “We must protect these lines as they carry hope for our children.”

The Rural Electrification Fund plans to extend the network further east by 2026, linking remote hamlets previously inaccessible by road. For now, the glow of light transforms night into opportunity — a tangible sign that even Zimbabwe’s most marginalised corners are stepping out of the shadows.