TANZANIA: Catholic Diocese launches Electric Power Project

President Jakaya Kikwete has launched  the 150KW power project on 13th November 2011, in Ludewa district, a project which is supported by Roman Catholic Diocese of Njombe.  

Addressing a rally at Mawengi Ward in Ludewa, President Kikwete paid tribute to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Njombe for supporting the government’s efforts in bringing affordable electricity to people in rural areas.

Mr Kikwete called on the youth in the district to take advantage of the presence of the project. He also called on people in the area to preserve sources of water so that they can get continued supply of electricity from the Lumama project and avert adverse effects of climate change.

Mr Kikwete promised that the government through Rural Electrification Authority (REA) will support the project so that the diocese can provide electricity to more people.

The president said it was the government’s intention to connect the headquarter of Ludewa and Mawengi with the national power grid and do away with the current diesel generator which is expensive.

The electric project is owned by Lumama Electric Association an organization under the Catholic Diocese of Njombe. The Lumama Project Manager Alice Michelazzi said the project started in 1998 at the cost of 8.9bn/-  (about 5 Million USD) and is expected to benefit 10,000 residents of Lupande, Mawengi and Mdunda.

Michelazzi said the project was financed by the Non-Governmental Organisation ACRA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, European Union, Italian Regions of Lombaridia, Itervita and Foranzione Cariplo.

The project aims at continuing the activities carried out within a previous program composed by two projects Socio-economic development in the district of Madunda through rural electrification and reforestation co-financed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sustainable and integrated management of water resources, soil and forests in the catch basin of the river Kisongo financed by the Lombardy Region.

The purpose of this project – financed by the association INTERVITA Onlus – is to give sustainability to the activities carried out during the previous projects through the starting up of new activities in order to support education in primary schools.

The intervention involves all the villages with which ACRA has already worked during the previous program and consist in activities in support of farmers, breeders and beekeepers living in the catch basin of the river Kisongo. These activities also include interventions in support of the sustainability of the association created for the hydroelectric plant management. ACRA – in collaboration with INTERVITA – shall starting up a sponsorship program for schools involving all pupils in primary schools of the eight villages, parents and teaching staff in the renovations of schools and training sessions.