Power outages are common in Zimbabwe. / Photo: Reuters

Zimbabwe has announced the end of blackouts that have crippled businesses and left millions of households without electricity some times for up to 19 hours a day.

The information ministry said a cabinet meeting had "noted with satisfaction" that the power utility "has announced the end to load-shedding as a result of the interventions implemented" by government.

The statement did not give details of the steps taken to end the so-called load-shedding.

The southern African country has for years been reeling under severe power shortages.

They worsened late last year when the main electricity source, a hydro plant at the giant Kariba Dam in the north, suffered low water levels caused by recurring droughts.

In March the power utility company said it had launched a new 300 megawatt coal-fired unit with Chinese finance in a bid to ease repeated power outages.

But Zimbabweans greeted the news of the end of outages with scepticism, as some said they were sitting in the dark as the announcement was made.

The country goes to the polls on August 23 to elect a president and legislature.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 80, replaced Robert Mugabe in 2017 after a military-led coup. He is seeking re-election.

Neighbouring South Africa has also been struggling with an electricity shortage that made power cuts almost a daily occurrence. But state-owned utility Eskom last month suspended the power cuts due to what it termed as improved generation capacity.

TRT Afrika and agencies