Sekeramayi falls on hard times

The Zimbabwe power supply company ZETDC has petitioned the High Court seeking to register a deed of settlement signed by former Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, who is said to have failed to settle a $311 000 electricity debt.

Through its lawyers Chihambakwe, Mutizwa and Partners, the power utility initially issued the summons to the former minister on September 13, 2018 following which he acknowledged the debt and offered a payment plan.

“On September 28, 2019 and at Harare, the applicant (ZETDC) and the respondent (Sekeramayi) signed a deed of settlement in terms of which it was agreed that the respondent would pay the applicant a total of $319 000, being charges for electricity supplied by the latter to the former,” ZETDC’s company secretary Judith Tsamba said in an affidavit.

“It was also agreed that in the event of the respondent’s failure to pay any instalment due in terms of the deed of settlement, then the whole amount outstanding would become due and payable.”

“By reason of the respondent’s breach, the whole amount in the sum of $311 500 is now due and payable … this has necessitated the making of this application to enable the applicant to recover the outstanding sum,” she said.

The matter is yet to be set down for hearing.

Sekeramayi is one of many of Mugabe’s former allies whose financial situation took a turn for the worse following the November 2017 coup.