The government has launched a major electricity distribution project in Siha District, Kilimanjaro, aiming to connect 5,000 households by 2030, with 3,000 already benefiting.
The move underscores President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s commitment to ensuring universal access to electricity.
Deputy Minister of Energy, Salome Makamba, inaugurated the project in Ngare-Nairobi Village, highlighting that the initiative also targets public institutions, particularly schools, to improve learning and teaching environments.
“We have started with Ngare-Nairobi, but across Siha District, the government is committed to connecting 5,000 households to electricity by 2030. So far, 3,000 households are already connected,” said Salome.
The Deputy Minister also reiterated the government’s commitment to the Special Mission 300 Program, which aims to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Through this initiative, TANESCO plans to connect 1.7 million households annually nationwide, with Kilimanjaro Region targeting 12,000 households per year. Over 9,000 households in the region have already been connected.
Kilimanjaro TANESCO Manager, Mrs. Merry Kabakuzi, said Siha District has 169 villages, of which 155 already have electricity.
The remaining 14 villages will be electrified under the second phase of the Rural Energy Agency (REA) program.
Mrs. Kabakuzi added that areas with limited electricity coverage will continue to be expanded through the Special Mission 300 Program, ensuring that rural communities are not left behind.
The project forms part of the government’s broader strategy to achieve universal electricity access, boosting social and economic development in Tanzania’s rural areas.