By The Respondents reporter
Rufiji, Tanzania — More than 95 percent of the workforce involved in the construction of Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) were Tanzanians, TANESCO Managing Director Lazaro Jacob Twange said on Saturday.
Twange made the remarks on August 22, 2026, while presenting a project report to President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the official inauguration of the hydropower project in Rufiji, Pwani Region.
He said the project had provided Tanzanian professionals with valuable skills and experience in implementing a major infrastructure project, strengthening their ability to compete for employment opportunities both domestically and internationally.
Twange said the project’s consulting engineer was also Tanzanian, describing the involvement as an important opportunity to build local technical capacity.
“It has demonstrated that Tanzanians have the capacity to manage major projects and complete them on time,” Twange said.
He said the experience gained through the project would enable Tanzanian professionals to compete for similar projects beyond the country.
Twange also described the power station as an important pillar of Tanzania’s national security, saying TANESCO would strengthen its control and maintenance systems to minimise the risk of technical failures.
He said the utility would also work closely with security agencies to ensure adequate protection of the facility and prevent potential threats.
Twange stressed that the long-term sustainability of electricity generation at the dam depends on maintaining adequate water levels.
He said TANESCO would therefore continue working with environmental stakeholders to protect the water sources feeding the reservoir and ensure the plant can sustain electricity generation over the long term.
