The Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dorothy Gwajima, has said that the use of clean cooking energy is not merely a technological transition but a strategic step toward women’s economic and social empowerment.
Speaking on March 4, 2025 at the Women’s Conference organized by the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) to promote clean energy usage, held at Diamond Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam, Dr. Gwajima emphasized that access to clean cooking energy allows women to gain more time to participate in productive activities, innovation and improved family care.
She noted that at the national level, the government has continued to implement strategies aimed at accelerating the adoption of clean cooking energy, including expanding electricity access to urban and rural areas, and promoting the use of electricity, natural gas and innovative cooking technologies.
“This initiative has been strongly championed by Her Excellency the President. Electricity has now reached areas that had waited for years, particularly during the Sixth Phase Government,” Dr. Gwajima said, as she addressed the conference as Guest of Honor.
She further pointed out that many people still hold the misconception that cooking with electricity is expensive.
However, she clarified that advancements in modern technology have introduced energy efficient electric stoves that consume minimal power and are affordable and widely available.
According to the Minister, the shift to clean energy not only reduces health risks associated with smoke from firewood and charcoal but also elevates women’s dignity by reducing the time and physical burden traditionally spent on cooking.
She stressed that the transition to clean cooking energy forms part of a broader agenda of gender equality and inclusive development, calling upon institutions and stakeholders to continue investing in public awareness and environmentally friendly technologies.
The conference served as a platform to discuss the future of clean energy adoption, while encouraging women to become ambassadors of change within their households and communities.