Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) is mandated to provide power to all parts of the country but in rural areas the electrification rate is very low, estimated at 5%. This is due to technical, financial and socio-economical factors. These factors include low loads, long reticulation lines, and low and erratic incomes. This renders the electrification of some rural areas through grid extension not feasible in the short and medium term. As part of the solution, renewables were incorporated as an alternative energy supply to such rural areas. This paper discusses the technical and socio-economic characteristics of the rural areas in Zimbabwe and the role of renewables in meeting rural loads.