ZANZIBAR has entered its 12th day without power. As of Monday, June 2, power supplied via a submarine cable from mainland Tanzania had still not been restored. Zanzibar and Tanzania are no strangers to intermittent power outages, but these usually last a few hours, not weeks. Most establishments have their own diesel generators, but running them for days on end, especially given the rising cost of fuel, is proving to be extremely costly. Some small businesses have been forced to close and even the larger hotels have put in place electricity saving measures. There has been no official statement as to when the cable might be fixed. Expectations are that it will be by the end of this week but there is speculation it may take up to a month.
What can tourists expect?
• Middle to high-range hotels and resorts will have generator power, but guests may have to forgo certain luxuries that rely on a high rate of electricity consumption, such as air-conditioning.
• Backpackers, smaller guest houses and cafés may either be functioning without power or be temporarily closed.
• To be on the safe side, tourists should drink bottled water, as there are some fears of public health issues due to water pumps affected by the outage.
• ATMs on the island are generally functioning.
