By Business Reporter- A mysterious power outage overshadowed Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s keynote address at the 2025 Zimbabwe International Business Conference (IBC), raising eyebrows and sparking speculation of possible political sabotage at one of the nation’s most prestigious economic gatherings.
Just as Chiwenga was preparing to deliver his much-anticipated address at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo on Wednesday, the power abruptly went out, plunging the auditorium into darkness.
The outage, though brief, disrupted proceedings and prompted murmurs among delegates, given the timing and the Vice President’s growing political stature.
The IBC, a flagship economic think tank that brings together policy architects, captains of industry, and global investors, was this year held under the theme “Revitalising Industrialisation for Zimbabwe’s Economic Resurgence.”
Chiwenga, who was expected to lead critical discussions on industrial revival, trade, and technological innovation, was momentarily cut off — literally and figuratively — in a moment that many felt was more than just coincidental.
In a swift response, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) and ZITF management issued a public apology, attributing the disruption to an “unexpected fault on the power line” and a simultaneous technical failure of the backup generator.
SPECIAL APOLOGY FROM THE BOARD AND MANAGEMENT
“The outage of electricity earlier was due to an unexpected fault on the power line into the fairgrounds of the Zimbabwe International Conference and Exhibition Smart City (ZICES)… The conference backup generator from ZETDC that had been running since morning then also developed a technical fault.”
The statement further claimed technicians had restored power “as quickly as possible” and vowed to accelerate efforts to transition the ZITF complex into a smart city — including solarising all venues.
Despite the power glitch, Chiwenga eventually delivered his remarks, reinforcing the message that Zimbabwe’s economic revival depends on bold, coordinated leadership.
His presence — and resilience — at the high-level forum signaled more than just policy intent.
It suggested a man consolidating his political ground, one platform at a time.
Welcoming delegates, Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Judith Ncube, hailed the VP’s presence as a sign of government’s enduring commitment to reindustrialising Zimbabwe’s second-largest city.
“This conference symbolises our collective push to transform Zimbabwe into an industrial powerhouse,” Ncube said. “The Vice President’s presence underlines government’s serious commitment to positioning Bulawayo at the centre of Zimbabwe’s reindustrialisation.”
This year’s IBC comes amid major announcements. ZITF Company Chairman Busisa Moyo revealed a private sector pledge of US$12 million towards building a shopping centre, two luxury hotels, and a 5,000-seater conference facility as part of the ZICES transformation plan.
Moyo described the initiative as a “transformative moment” that underscored Chiwenga’s influence in economic planning.
“Vice President Chiwenga has shown us that economic resilience requires a bold, coordinated strategy — and this conference reflects that leadership,” Moyo declared.
Analysts say Chiwenga’s steady rise and growing visibility across national platforms — from military commemorations to economic summits — may be reshaping the balance of power in Zimbabwe’s top echelons.
His involvement in industrial policy, long seen as the engine of economic recovery, has further entrenched his image as a hands-on technocrat with presidential ambitions.
Presenting at the IBC, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) CEO Sekai Kuvarika highlighted the urgency of revamping the manufacturing sector, calling for “visionary, sustained interventions.”
“Obstacles are not the problem. What matters is how consistently and effectively a country addresses them,” Kuvarika said. “This conference, under the Vice President’s guidance, offers a credible path forward.”
While the power outage has been officially explained, whispers of sabotage remain — a reminder that in Zimbabwean politics, symbolism often speaks louder than electricity.