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Tanzanians should be patient, but...
2006-03-01 07:13:41
By Editor
On Monday, the government appealed to Tanzanians to exercise patience over the long-hour power cuts as technicians were repairing a transformer that broke down last week at the Songas gas-to-electricity power plant.
The call was made by the Prime Minister, Edward Lowassa when he toured the plant at Ubungo, on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam.
The Premier said since the repair work was being undertaken, there was nothing else to be done except wait until March 10 when normal power would be restored.
Minister for Energy and Minerals Dr Ibrahim Msabaha on his part called on the management of Tanesco to strictly follow its power shedding timetable.
We entirely agree with the Premier over the need for Tanzanians, especially those who have been adversely affected by the power shortfall, after the Ubungo mishap to calm down.
It is quite unfortunate that the mishap came at a time when the country was experiencing power shortage due to prolonged drought.
We are quite certain most Tanzanians understand this position, which we can say borders on the underprivileged.
However, we also share Minister Msabaha’s concern on the haphazard manner the available power is being rationed.
In fact, after the Ubungo incident, the government announced an increase of two to three hours more of power blackout .
To many consumers, it means they have to endure a couple of hours more of darkness before the power is restored.
Sad to say however, that has not been the case, and this can be proved by numerous complaints that are being raised almost daily in the media on the unsatisfactory manner the new power rationing is being conducted.
Many of such complaints are genuine, as per our findings. In Ilala/Bungoni area for example, two areas alternate power for twelve hours, on a day/night time basis.
In other words while one area gets power during the night, the other gets it during the day, which we think is unfair.
Why not have power rationing during the day only as directed by President Jakaya Kikwete?
The Ilala example is one among many, for which residents have expressed their concern.
In some residential areas, the supply of power does not follow any rational pattern and in others it is continuous, all for no apparent reason.
As Tanzanians are ready to endure the difficulties caused by power shortfall, we expect that the power utility would reciprocate by being fair but strict in its power rationing.
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