Tanesco gets new board as deadline to end power crisis nears
Tanesco managing director Gissima Nyamo-Hanga. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The appointments aim to ensure Tanesco meets targets set to end the power shortages that have plagued the country since last September.
Dar es Salaam. In a move to tackle the ongoing power crisis, Tanzania's state-owned electricity supplier, Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco), has a new board of directors.
The appointments aim to ensure Tanesco meets targets set to end the power shortages that have plagued the country since last September.
Following the crisis, President Samia Suluhu Hassan tasked the newly appointed Tanesco managing director, Mr Gissima Nyamo-Hanga, to end the power problems in six months starting last October, failure of which may risk his job.
The six-month deadline expires this month, when the utility is anticipated to resolve the power generation crisis.
On Friday, March 15, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Mr Doto Biteko, appointed eight new board members for the power utility company.
Tanesco has been without a full board for the past three months, amidst the challenges of power outages.
The board is chaired by a banker, Dr Rhimo Nyansaho, who was appointed by President Hassan in December last year.
According to a statement issued to the media and signed by the Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary, Mr Felchesmi Mramba, the new members include Dr Lucy-Mary Mboma, Mr Isaac Chanji, Mr Boma Raballa, Ms Grace Philotea Joachim, Prof Hellen Bandiho, Ambassador Zuhura Bundala, Prof Ninatubu Lema, and Prof Idris Kikula.
“The appointment is effective starting March 18, 2024,” Mr Mramba said in the statement.
The previous Tanesco board, which was picked by former Energy Minister January Makamba under the chairmanship of Omari Issa, was dissolved last year as Tanzania went through power outages that disrupted economic activities.
Former board members included Ambassador Mwanaidi Maajar (vice chairperson), Mr Abubakar Bakhresa, Mr Christopher Gachuma, chartered accountant Leonard Mususa, Ms Zawadia Nanyaro, Mr Cosmas Masawe, and Mr Abdallah Hashim.
Recently, the power utility company added 235 megawatts to the national grid after switching on one plant at the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant.
