Lighting the Path to 2030: Government Electrifies Over 1 300 Villages Nationwide
The Government has powered up more than 1 300 villages across Zimbabwe through the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), intensifying its campaign to achieve universal access to modern energy services by 2030.
The initiative supports the National Development Strategy 1 and aligns with global Sustainable Development Goals, combining conventional grid expansion with renewable energy technologies such as solar and biogas.
According to a post by Permanent Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana, on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, the number of electrified villages has reached 1 302.
Manicaland Province leads the rollout with 361 villages connected, followed by Mashonaland East with 202 and Midlands with 194.
Other provinces include Matabeleland South (138), Mashonaland West (134), Mashonaland Central (56), and Matabeleland North (24).
In a bid to lower energy costs for rural communities, REF rolled out targeted subsidies.
Public institutions and chiefs’ homesteads receive full solar coverage, while groups of villagers benefit from a 50 percent subsidy.
Individual homesteads are eligible for a 40 percent subsidy — all designed to expand access and reduce energy poverty in underserved areas.
Several REF-financed projects have been commissioned this year, including a 45kW solar mini-grid in Muzarabani, Mashonaland Central, and a 160kW solar installation in the Soti-Source resettlement area of Gutu.
These installations form part of a broader strategy to energize remote communities and strengthen essential services.
As reported by The Herald, more than 10 840 rural public institutions have been electrified under REF.
These include 4 621 primary schools, 1 538 secondary schools, 1 037 rural health centres, 1 279 business centres, 303 chiefs’ homesteads, and 870 small-scale farms and villages..
Additional connections include grinding mills, irrigation schemes, and base stations — all contributing to improved education, healthcare, and economic activity.
The Rural Electrification Agency continues to connect schools, clinics, and homes, reinforcing the national vision of inclusive development.
The programme remains central to the Government’s goal of transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy by 2030 — ensuring no community is left behind.
