By Our Respondents Reporter, Morogoro
The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has convened a high-level meeting with key stakeholders in Morogoro to discuss threats to rivers feeding the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) and to agree on urgent strategies for protecting water sources critical to the country’s power generation.
The meeting, held at the Morogoro Regional Commissioner’s Office on September 26, 2025, was chaired by Regional Commissioner Adam Malima and attended by district commissioners from Morogoro, Ulanga, Malinyi, and Ifakara.
Senior TANESCO officials, led by Managing Director Eng. Lazaro Twange, as well as experts in environment, energy, and water management, also took part.
A study conducted by TANESCO and presented at the meeting identified several human-induced activities posing a risk to rivers supplying water to the JNHPP.
These include shifting cultivation, uncontrolled livestock grazing, deforestation, and limited public awareness of environmental conservation.
Experts warned that without immediate interventions, the volume of water flowing into the dam could be severely reduced in the coming years.
“Indicators show that if we don’t act today, three or four years from now we will be facing serious consequences. We must plan and act early to safeguard our water sources so that power generation remains stable,” RC Malima stressed.
Eng. Twange emphasized that more than 80 percent of Tanzania’s electricity is generated from hydropower, with Morogoro Region playing a key role due to its many rivers that feed into major plants, including JNHPP, Kihansi, Kidatu, and Mtera.
“Our study shows there are real threats that could compromise water flow to the dams. That is why we have gathered here to chart out joint solutions and take urgent action. Protecting these rivers and forests is critical to sustaining electricity generation for years to come,” Twange said.
He added that the meeting marks a significant step towards securing the future of sustainable energy in Tanzania.
“We need true collaboration between the government, institutions, and local communities to ensure our rivers remain intact and power generation continues uninterrupted,” he concluded.
A representative from the Ministry of Energy, Eng. Yusuph Msembele, called for clear regulations that are easy for communities to understand and follow.
“We need laws that simplify the message for the public, helping them appreciate the importance of protecting water sources and forests. This will make citizens part of the solution rather than the problem,” he said.
Key resolutions from the meeting include launching joint public awareness campaigns on water source conservation, strengthening enforcement of environmental protection laws, conducting regular inspections, and taking firm action against encroachers of river catchment areas.