VIDEO: Zimbabwe’s Zanu-PF blames Mugabe for severe energy crisis

Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party has blamed former long-time leader Robert Mugabe for the country’s severe power outages.

Mugabe was ousted in 2017 after nearly four decades in office.

Over the last fortnight Zimbabweans have been facing power cuts lasting up to about 18 hours a day. The crisis worsened following low water levels at Kariba South power station.

Zanu-PF spokesman Chris Mutsvangwa told South African broadcaster eNCA that his country was now grappling with the effects of the previous administration’s “neglect” to invest in power generation over the years.

“The economic management of the last two decades of [President] Mugabe is retarding the speed of recovery; but you can’t doubt that there’s a recovery which is going on,” the spokesman said.

The party has been in power since 1980 when the country gained independence from Britain.