Power project launched at Mkuranga, Kibiti
All smiles: A villager of Kinyanya in Kibiti District, Coast Region, Mr Hamis Mkwera presses a button during the launch of an electricity project yesterday. It is one of many projects the Rural Energy Agency is implementing. On his left is the minister for Energy, Dr Medard Kalemani. PHOTO | CORRESPONDENT
Coast. Residents of Mkuranga, Kibiti and Rufiji-Ikwiriri must be smiling gleefully following the launch of a 132 kilowatt (kW) project by the Rural Energy Agency (REA).
The project, which would benefit hundreds of households, was launched by the minister for Energy, Dr Medard Kalemani yesterday after visiting the site to assess its progress.
The residents from the aforementioned areas have been relying on power generated from diesel from Somanga Fungu, which is insufficient. The minister directed the Rufiji and Kibiti Tanesco manager, Mr Basilias Kayombo to post Tanesco agents in all 49 villages with a view to easing the process of applying for power service.
“It only costs Sh27,000 to get electricity from the REA project, therefore, to make things easy you must place Tanesco agents in all 49 villages to help them cut transport costs to the district offices,” said Dr Kalemani.
For his part, village chairperson of Kinyanya-Kibiti Abdala Mbwana raised a concern to the minister that there were not enough poles for all villages to access electricity.
“We have received only 42 poles out of the promised 60 poles. These aren’t enough to serve all earmarked villages,” said Mr Mbwana.
In his response, Dr Kalemani said distribution of the poles and other equipment such as transformers and wires was in progress and that they would soon have everything as promised.
