By Alfred ZachariaThe Rural Energy Agency (REA) has continued its door-to-door campaign to raise awareness about the benefits and uses of electricity, as well as to encourage citizens to connect to the power grid.
During the campaign in Tabora Region, Jaina Msuya, a Community Development Officer at REA, emphasized that the initiative is part of the agency's ongoing efforts to ensure that all citizens within the project’s reach have access to electricity.
“The government’s goal is to bring development to all citizens, including those in rural areas, which is why it has been implementing several large-scale projects, including this rural electrification initiative,” said Msuya.
The campaign involves visiting every village, speaking with residents who have access to the project but have not yet connected to the electricity grid. The aim is to understand the challenges they face and to educate them about the advantages of electricity. For those who are ready, connections are made immediately.
Msuya explained that some citizens face financial challenges and cannot afford the cost of wiring their homes to receive electricity. To address this, the government is promoting the use of the "Ready-to-Use Electricity" (UMETA) device as an alternative to traditional wiring.
“The Sixth Phase Government, led by His Excellency President Samia Suluhu Hassan, recognizing this challenge, has provided the UMETA device free of charge to help many people connect to electricity. The only cost the citizen needs to cover is 27,000 Tanzanian shillings for the device, while the UMETA device itself, which replaces traditional wiring, is provided free of charge,” Msuya added.
Residents of the villages visited have expressed gratitude for the government’s support and for President Samia’s decision to provide the UMETA device for free to those unable to afford wiring.
“I was supposed to pay 300,000 shillings for wiring my house, but now I’ve only paid 27,000 shillings. I am so happy because I can now start using electricity while planning to complete the wiring later. I truly appreciate this initiative, and we are grateful to President Samia Suluhu Hassan,” said Ramadhan Haruna, a resident of Chang'ombe Village in Tabora Municipality.
Suleiman Mrisho, from Mabama Village in Uyui District, also praised the door-to-door campaign, noting that the knowledge they gained about electricity use would help them prepare for various community development projects.
