Things look darkest before it becomes completely dark

[Tanzanites]

One of my friends once said: “things look darkest before it becomes completely dark”.

These words comes to mind as the power crisis is developing. What started as a once in a while power cut has now developed into a once in a while power on crisis. According to several sources the cost to the Tanzanian economy is immense. CTI has estimated that 7.341 people has already lost their jobs due to the power crisis and as the situation has become worse since the report was published this figure is most likely higher today.

CTI also estimate the economy loses Sh 10 billion due to the effect the power cuts has on manufacturing but this is the direct cost. What about the indirect cost? The increase in electricity prices and the high cost of running a country on generators surely must have an effect on people’s ability to use money to buy other goods and services. How does this affect the small shops, bars etc.

A crisis normally develops due to some unforeseen events and it seems like Tanesco is blaming this crisis on the drought but as far as I know I didn’t stop raining yesterday and it is not the first time that the dams have run dry due to lack of rain. So why didn’t Tanesco and the responsible in the Government plan to make sure that alternative power sources are available? After all Tanzania has during the last decade developed significant natural gas resources and there seems to be a long list of alternative ecofriendly options available like wind and solar energy.

In the meanwhile the energy sector is under the shadow of some serious allegations of corruption. How is this affecting the situation?

It is time that the energy sector is reformed so it can meet the demand of the country and that the people responsible for the existing situation is hold responsible for the cost of a crisis that should have been possible to prevent with planning and accountability in the sector.

 

[pmwasyoke]

One of my friends once said: "things look darkest before it becomes completely dark".

It is time that the energy sector is reformed so it can meet the demand of the country and that the people responsible for the existing situation is hold responsible for the cost of a crisis that should have been possible to prevent with planning and accountability in the sector.

The people at the very top, who have been managing the energy sector for may years, have caused this problem. They have no ability to reform it and obviously they will not hold themselves responsible.

 

[Kasimba G]

Yeah, ts a good thread! we have a number of resources here the only thing we are mssing is the proper straitegy! we are never going to rectify this situation if we do things politicaly, with a clear ambition of doing things only for the sake for our personal gain! this is what our leaders do!

 

[Pokola]

We are being led by a bandwagon of nincompoops. The best we can do is request them to voluntarily step down - or in the alternative, kill them. Now.

 

[pmwasyoke]

We are being led by a bandwagon of nincompoops. The best we can do is request them to voluntarily step down - or in the alternative, kill them. Now.

Watch out Pokola. You shouldn't air every thought in your mind.

 

[Papa D]

Yeah, ts a good thread! we have a number of resources here the only thing we are mssing is the proper straitegy! we are never going to rectify this situation if we do things politicaly, with a clear ambition of doing things only for the sake for our personal gain! this is what our leaders do!

I think its wrong to say we should not solve this politically. rather we should think of implementing it under right political approach combined with revelant prefossionalism. Politic is very important in this matter however, in our country is handled by wrong people with wrong ideas motivated by wrong interest at wrong time!! thats why you feel it negatively!

 

[Byendangwero]

Everything is in shambles, electricity failure is being talked very much about because it affects the elite and ordinary people equally. Had it not been that most of the private schools, where children of the elites are schooling, faired well in the last year Form iv examination, the mass failure observed in that examination would have been the talk of the town