Zanzibar — THE first 100 days of President Hussein Ali Mwinyi's second-term leadership have recorded significant achievements in strengthening water and electricity services across the Isles.
Zanzibar's Minister for Water, Energy and Minerals, Mr Nadir Abdullatif Al-Wardy, said the government has continued to implement key development projects across sectors under his ministry to improve the livelihoods of citizens.
Speaking to journalists at the offices of Department of Information, while outlining achievements recorded during the first 100 days of the second term administration of President Mwinyi, the minister said the sectors under his docket directly affect the daily lives of all wananchi and remain central to socioeconomic transformation.
He noted that the government is intensifying efforts to strengthen water services in various parts of Unguja and Pemba in a deliberate move to address the longstanding challenge of access to safe and reliable water.
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According to the minister, a major water project funded by the Export-Import Bank of India has enabled approximately 17,726 households to be connected to clean and safe water supply directly to their homes.
The initiative has significantly improved living standards, reduced dependence on unsafe sources and eased the burden previously faced by many families, particularly women and children.
"The water sector is crucial because it directly affects public health, tourism, industrial growth, urban development and the overall wellbeing of citizens," Al-Wardy said.
He added that although ongoing road construction projects in different parts of the islands have occasionally damaged water supply networks, the government has acted swiftly to restore services in affected areas to ensure minimal disruption to residents.
On electricity services, the minister said the government, through the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation (ZECO), has made notable progress in improving power distribution infrastructure by establishing new transmission lines aimed at reducing pressure on existing networks and enhancing efficiency.
He explained that ZECO is implementing comprehensive strategies to address electricity challenges by strengthening power generation capacity, expanding transmission and distribution infrastructure and reducing both technical and commercial energy losses.
The corporation is also promoting the use of renewable energy sources and modern electricity storage technologies as part of broader efforts to ensure a more reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly power supply system.
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In addition, electricity services have been improved across both Unguja and Pemba, including the strengthening of undersea power cable infrastructure to stabilise supply between the islands and mainland Tanzania, thereby enhancing reliability and reducing outages.
