Perception of the use of pre-paid electricity meters in Chidzidzi, Mutoko, Zimbabwe

Abstract: Since the era of the economic adjustment program, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) Holdings has been faced with an increasing problem of non-payment of electricity service charges, especially in the medium- to low-income households. In the early 2000s, the power utility company resorted to disconnections and the removal of post-paid electricity meters for non-paying households. Many customers accused ZESA Holdings of overcharging them on their monthly bills through the post-payment plan. As a way of recovering costs from non-paying households, ZESA Holdings resorted to the deployment of prepaid electricity meters, which automatically disconnect when households pre-coded electricity tokens are used up. The objective of this study is to understand consumers’ perception of the use of prepaid electricity meters versus the post-paid system, in Chidzidzi, Mutoko, Zimbabwe. Lessons learnt from this study are useful for informing policy in the country and other developing countries