Zanzibar — FREQUENT power outages affecting many parts of Zanzibar dominated discussions on the first day of the House of Representatives session, prompting the government to explain the situation and outline alternative energy plans.

The issue was raised by Paje Constituency Representative, Mr Jaku Hashim Ayoub, who said the persistent outages have become a serious concern, disrupting economic and social activities.

He asked what fundamental causes were behind the frequent power cuts and what alternative energy solutions the government has developed to reduce reliance on electricity supplied by Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO).

In response, Deputy Minister for Water, Energy and Minerals, Mr Seif Kombo Bakar said that economic growth, population increases and expanding settlements have overwhelmed the main electricity distribution lines.

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"To prevent wires from collapsing due to overload, we are sometimes forced to shut down power in certain areas to balance the system," he said.

Mr Bakar added that the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, through the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation (ZECO), has entered into several agreements to diversify energy sources.

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Ongoing projects include an 18MW solar power plant in Makunduchi and a 40MWh battery storage system in Mtoni (already under implementation), a 30MW solar project in Bambi and a 30MW solar plant in Matemwe with two battery storage systems (2x20MWh capacity).

Others include a wind power initiative in Makunduchi in partnership with Aseel International, where a wind monitoring tower has been installed, with projected production of up to 200MW and a 15MW solar project in Micheweni, Pemba.

The government says these investments aim to stabilise electricity supply and ensure long-term energy security for Zanzibar.