Govt electrifies 257 villages in Kigoma

DODOMA: AT least 257 villages out of 307 villages in Kigoma region have been electrified as more efforts are being applied to connecting the remaining 50 villages, the Parliament was told on Friday.

Deputy Minister for energy Judith Kapinga told the national Assembly yesterday that the government has already signed a contract with State Grid Electrical and Technical Works Limited company, which is implementing the Rural Electricity Distribution Project Phase Three Round Two.

The deputy minister was responding to a question from Special Seats Member of Parliament Josephine Genzabuke who wanted to know when the government will finish the exercise of delivering electricity to schools and religious institutions in Kigoma Region.

Responding, the deputy minister said during the integration of clients in projects, the Agency gives priority to public institutions, including schools and religious institutions.

She said the government through the Agency continues to coordinate the connection and supply of electricity in rural public institutions, especially schools and religious institutions based on the availability of funds.

ALSO READ: Over 10 REA projects underway to electrify whole country

Meanwhile, the august House was told that in order to ensure the harvesting of fish resources in Lake Tanganyika is done in a sustainable way, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries in collaboration with the countries that make up the Lake Tanganyika, has set measures for sustainable fishing in the lake.

Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mr Alex Mnyeti said the government in collaboration with other countries that share the lake waters have already agreed on the proper fishing procedures.

He was responding to a question from Kalambo Member of Parliament Josephat Kandege (CCM) who wanted to know if there was a scientific study that shows that stopping fishing activities in Lake Tanganyika to allow the reproduction of fish will be productive in future.

Mr Mnyeti added that it has been agreed that fishing activities will always be stopped in Lake Tanganyika from May 15 to August 15 of each year.

“Stopping fishing activities in Lake Tanganyika for three months help in increasing the number of fishes in the lake and it is good for sustainable fishing activities,” he noted.

He said studies from neighbouring countries show that the strategy helps to increase availability of fishes in the lake.

He said fish species that are available in Lake Tanganyika need a period of three to four months to reach the level where they can be fished, saying resting the lake during that period allows the fish to grow, increase in size and boost the yield.