Tanzania: Residents Affected By Power Project to Receive Pay

By Sylivester Domasa & Florence Mugarula

THE government said on Thursday that it has finalized a compensation settlement scheme with

families affected by the planned construction of a 400kv power transmission line from Kinyerezi gas plant to Dodoma through Chalinze.

Energy Ministry announced that at least 21.56bn/- will be required to compensate people between Kiluvya in Kisarawe to Chalinze in Pwani region as per an assessment that was conducted between 2015 and 2016.

Tanzania National Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) is implementing a power project that also involves the construction of a 220kv transmission line from Kibaha to Zinga in Pwani's Bagamoyo district.

According to the government, the project is projected to improve power distribution network in the country, including accommodating the ongoing construction of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project-JNHPP. The project is expected to pump in an additional 2115 megawatts into the state grid.

"This project is a 400kv stretching some 600km from Kinyerezi to Chalinze (100km), Chalinze to Rufiji (160km) and Chalinze to Dodoma (340km)," Dr Medard Kalemani, the energy minister said in the national assembly.

He was responding to Mary Muro (Special Seats-Chadema) who wanted to know whether the government had commissioned an evaluation of people and families affected by the construction work of the power transmission line cutting through Kibaha district in Pwani region.

Likewise, she asked, "when will the state compensate the people affected?"

The minister explained that an evaluation was conducted in 2015-2016 in Kisarawe, Kibaha to Chalinze to allow the affected individuals to be compensated and vacate the land for the purpose.

Dr Kalemani said as of March this year, all the required procedures that include preparation of information and documentation of the affected individuals has been prepared.

"A total of 21.569bn/- was summed up to compensate the victims. The payment includes individuals who will be directly affected by the project in Kisarawe, Kibaha Township, Kibaha rural and Chalinze councils," he said.

He added that the ministry of finance and planning has also finalized a report on auditing the affected families and their properties.

The government now awaits final payment procedures to facilitate the entire eligible families pocket their compensation monies.