By The Respondents Reporter
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has hailed the Rural Energy Agency (REA) for its role in promoting the adoption of clean cooking energy and advancing the government’s environmental protection agenda.
Speaking during the climax of the World Food Week 2025 celebrations held at Usagara Secondary School grounds in Tanga, Majaliwa commended REA’s contribution to reducing dependence on firewood and charcoal, saying the shift to clean energy aligns with Tanzania’s broader sustainable development goals.
The Prime Minister, who toured REA’s exhibition pavilion on Wednesday, presented the agency with a special award of recognition after it was named the second-best exhibitor for outstanding public service delivery during the national event.
“The government continues to encourage the use of clean and safe energy to protect our forests and improve people’s health,” Majaliwa said, urging citizens to embrace technologies that support environmental conservation and reduce carbon emissions.
REA showcased several renewable energy solutions during the exhibitions and sold 500 gas stoves at a subsidized price of TZS 17,500 each to promote affordable access to clean cooking alternatives among low-income households.
REA Engineer Ramadhan Mganga said the agency’s efforts are in line with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s vision of ensuring every Tanzanian household has access to modern and sustainable energy.
“President Samia has been a strong advocate for clean energy transition.
We call on all citizens to support her vision by adopting clean cooking solutions for their health and the environment,” he said.
In a separate briefing, REA’s Tanga Regional Coordinator, Engineer Raphael Njango, said the agency has expanded rural electrification efforts across the region.
Out of 4,531 villages, he said, 2,382 villages equivalent to 52.6 percent have already been connected to electricity.
He added that the ongoing electrification projects are helping to improve livelihoods, stimulate local economic activities, and create opportunities for rural communities.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the government remains committed to increasing access to clean and affordable energy under its national energy transition strategy, a key pillar of the country’s green growth and environmental conservation agenda.
“Protecting our environment and investing in clean energy are not just policy choices they are investments in the future of our nation,” Majaliwa said.