By The Respondents reporter
The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has officially launched compensation payments for residents affected by the construction of the 220-kilovolt power transmission line linking Masasi in Mtwara Region to Mahumbika in Lindi Region, a key project aimed at strengthening electricity supply in southern Tanzania.
Speaking on May 7, 2026, in Kiwalala Ward, Mtama District, TANESCO Managing Director Lazaro Twange said the government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan has invested heavily in strategic energy infrastructure, including transmission projects designed to connect southern regions to the national grid.
Twange said more than TZS 5.1 billion has been allocated to compensate approximately 1,730 residents in Lindi and Mtwara regions who will give way for the construction of the 220kV transmission line.
According to TANESCO, the first phase of compensation will benefit 78 households in Kiwalala and Mahumbika villages, where more than TZS 253 million is set to be disbursed before payments are extended to other affected communities.
Lindi District Commissioner Victoria Mwanziva said the compensation exercise is intended to ensure all affected residents receive their legal entitlements and to facilitate smooth implementation of the strategic infrastructure project. She urged communities in the affected areas to cooperate with TANESCO during the implementation phase.
“We thank President Samia Suluhu Hassan for approving over TZS 5.1 billion for compensation payments to more than 1,700 residents in Lindi and Mtwara. The main objective is to ensure the successful implementation of the Masasi–Mahumbika project,” Mwanziva said.
The compensation exercise will cover all 46 villages affected by the transmission line project across the districts of Lindi, Ruangwa, Newala and Masasi, beginning with 14 villages under Mtama District Council.
Once completed, the project is expected to improve electricity reliability in southern Tanzania, where communities currently depend on power generated from natural gas plants in Mtwara and transmitted over long distances.
