Infrastructure investment must be balanced between social and economic priorities. Infrastructure should provide accessible and affordable services equitably to all, with a view to promoting social inclusion and fostering economic empowerment and social mobility and protecting human rights. It should avoid harm to communities and users (especially those who are vulnerable or marginalized), be safe and promote human health and well-being.
Zimbabwe’s social infrastructure services have historically been constrained by persistent energy shortages. Erratic weather conditions, losses of experienced staff, a lack of investment, weak legal frameworks and parastatals operating at unsustainable losses for non-cost reflective tariffs combined to lead to a widespread energy deficit (African Development Bank [AfDB] 2019). In recent years, Zimbabwe has experienced power cuts of up to 18 hours a day as drought reduced water levels for hydropower, and electricity imports were unable to fill the gap in supply (Moyo 2018).
