WANTED: BETTER ACCESS TO RENEWABLE ENERGY

What you need to know:

  • Tanzania is not behind in making a contribution to these global efforts. Various players are investing in solar and wind energy—the two most important sources of renewable energy.

Electricity has become an integral and crucial part of modern life. It is a necessity that any progressive society must invest in to ensure its accessibility and reliability.

Due to the impact of environmental degradation and climate change, global efforts are now geared towards doing away with fossil-based energy sources. Renewable sources are now increasingly becoming important.

Tanzania is not behind in making a contribution to these global efforts. Various players are investing in solar and wind energy—the two most important sources of renewable energy.

However, funding remains the major obstacle towards harnessing solar and wind energy.

This is particularly the case in off-grid communities. Stakeholders report that lack of access to finance is hampering the supply of renewable energy technologies to these communities.

Now, this is what the government, development partners and private players need to tackle by coming up with lasting solutions.

By adequately funding supply of renewable energy technologies to off and on-grid communities, Tanzania would be assured of seeing a boost in its war against its arch-enemies—poverty, disease and ignorance.

Electricity is important for lighting homes, factories, hospitals, schools and other areas of importance for human life.

It is also useful for operating appliances, entertainment, running of machines, cooking, keeping medicines cool, and in advanced use in trains, airplanes, and even some cars.

Off-grid communities also need electricity for charging their phones for communication, operating simple appliances like the radio and TV sets, and for students, they need the power to increase their time to study.

Rural folks, like their urban counterparts, need lighting to help them spend more time undertaking productive work.

All these illustrate the importance of electricity--much so renewable power—towards transforming society.

It is time the government gave more push to ensure that there is adequate funding towards supply of renewable energy sources in the country.



LET’S BE WARY OF INTOLERANCE

While diversity may be desirable, it can be a fertile breeding ground for ethnic, religious and racial intolerance. That is why it is important to promote public awareness of the dangers of intolerance.

In Tanzania people of different ethnic, religious and racial backgrounds have been living in harmony for as long as one can remember. However, one need not look very far to see the devastating consequences of intolerance.

Neighbouring Rwanda is perhaps the best example closest to home of what intolerance can do to a society. In 1994, hardline Hutu militias slaughtered almost a million people whose only crime was belonging to a different ethnic group. Examples abound elsewhere.

In Tanzania, we too have had our fair share of individuals who have in the course of our pre and post-independence history revelled in whipping up tribal, ethnic and racial sentiments. What these people have been preaching is intolerance, whose ultimate goal is to split Tanzanians along ethnic, religious and racial lines.

We should forcefully reject any attempt by such individuals to lead Tanzania on the path to strife and anarchy.