By Our Reporter
On March 15, 2025, Njombe District Commissioner, Juma Sweda, who was representing the Regional Commissioner, Anthony Mtaka, met with officials from the Ministry of Energy, the Rural Energy Agency (REA), and the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO).
The meeting was held to prepare for a visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals, which will take place over four days.
The purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of rural electrification projects in the Njombe region and to ensure everything is in place for the upcoming visit by the Parliamentary committee.
The Ministry of Energy delegation was led by Ahmed Chinemba, who represented the Commissioner for Electricity.
Jones Olotu, the Director of Rural Electrification, led the REA team, and Leo Mwakatobe, the TANESCO Regional Manager for Njombe, was also present.
During the meeting, the officials discussed the progress of the rural electrification projects that have been implemented in the region.
They also talked about the challenges these projects face, including issues with infrastructure, funding, and how to involve local communities more in the process.
The Parliamentary committee will visit the region to inspect the projects and evaluate their progress. The visit will help the committee see how well the government is achieving its goal of providing electricity to rural areas.
Juma Sweda explained how important the visit is. He said it would give local leaders a chance to show both the successes and challenges of bringing electricity to rural communities.
He emphasized that electricity is essential for economic growth, better education, improved healthcare, and an overall higher quality of life for the people.
“This visit is a great opportunity for us to show what we have achieved, as well as the areas where we need more help.
Access to electricity is a priority for the government, and we are working hard to make it available in every corner of the country,” said Sweda.
Hon. Ahmed Chinemba, from the Ministry of Energy, also expressed the government’s commitment to improving rural electrification.
He pointed out that through REA and TANESCO, efforts are being made to ensure that even the most remote villages get access to electricity.
“Our main aim is to bring electricity to all villages, no matter how far they are. This will help businesses grow, improve education, and provide better healthcare services to the people,” said Chinemba.
The visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals will include site visits to key electrification projects.
The committee will meet with local leaders and community members to learn about their experiences and the challenges they face regarding electricity access.
Their visit will help the government understand what improvements are needed and will guide future policies to improve rural electrification.
Over the past few years, Njombe has benefited from the national rural electrification program, with many villages getting connected to the national grid.
However, challenges such as power stability, expanding the network, and ensuring that electricity is affordable remain.
The committee’s visit will provide valuable feedback to the government on how to make rural electrification even more effective.
With continued support and cooperation from all involved, the people of Njombe and other rural areas will see further improvements in electricity access.
