Staff Reporter
The long wait for electricity is finally over for the Soti Source community in Gutu, as the Government rolls out a 160-kilowatt solar mini-grid project under the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), aimed at lighting up homes, schools, health facilities, and businesses.
The project, now 95 percent complete, is expected to provide clean, reliable power to key institutions, such as Tongogara Primary School, Soti Source Primary and Secondary Schools, Soti Source Clinic, local churches, Government offices, and the area’s bustling business centre.
The initiative is part of a wider national effort to expand access to energy and drive rural development through clean, renewable sources.
Special Advisor to the President, Cde Joram Gumbo, who toured the project site yesterday, described the solar mini-grid as a “game-changer” for the Soti Source community.
“This is in line with our Vision 2030 goals. We are committed to ensuring that no one and no place is left behind. Rural electrification is a critical enabler of development, and what we are seeing here is a practical example of that commitment in action,” he said.
Provincial Manager for the REF, Engineer Emmanuel Masendu, confirmed that the project is almost ready.
“We are now at 95 percent completion. The remaining work will be finalised by the end of the month, and we expect the community to start benefiting from the solar mini-grid in July,” he said.
For residents who have lived without electricity for decades, the arrival of power is nothing short of life-changing.
“We have lived here since 1981, and this is the first time we are seeing real progress in terms of electrification. The Second Republic has remembered us. Our children will now study under lights, our clinic can store vaccines, and our small businesses will grow,” said one grateful community member.
Another resident shared how electricity will unlock new opportunities for economic development.
“Now we can start welding, carpentry, and small-scale irrigation. Even our schools can now offer science and computer studies – subjects we only dreamt about before,” the resident explained.
Government continues to invest in sustainable energysolutions nationwide, such as solar mini-grids, hydro power expansions, and modernising of thermal power plants. These initiatives are central to the country’s inclusive growth strategy and energy resilience agenda.
With electricity finally within reach, Soti Source is poised for a transformation from a dark and disconnected past to a bright and empowered future.
