The Minister of Energy, Deogratius Ndejembi has said that he is not satisfied with the progress of the implementation of the 49.5 Megawatt Electricity Generation Project in the falls of the Malagarasi Kigoma River implemented by the Dongfang Electric Company due to the delay in the work and the non-implementation of the terms of the contract they entered into with the Tanzania Electricity Corporation (TANESCO).
Mr. Ndejembi made the statement on May 10, 2026 during a visit to inspect the progress of the project where he noted that the contractor has been making excuses instead of performing his duties on time as the contract dictates.
Speaking during the visit, he said the Government has already paid the contractor more than $20 million as an initial payment but the level of the works carried out is not visible nor does it correspond to the funds provided.
Some of the delayed works are the construction of housing for workers and project roads, a situation that has shown the slowness of the implementation of the strategic project.
He has instructed TANESCO and the guidance counselor to continue closely monitoring the contractor while emphasizing that the Government will not provide additional funds or allow changes in the costs of the project as the contractor submitted his own costs during the tender.
He said that some contractors have had the habit of asking for work at a low cost to get a bid and later start asking for more money, something that the Government will not tolerate.
In another step, Mr. Ndejembi has ordered the project manager on the contractor’s side to be removed immediately due to what he described as excuses that contribute to delaying the implementation of the work.
He has ordered a special audit of the use of prepayment funds to determine how the funds have been used compared to the work done.
“This project is of great importance to the people of Kigoma, Katavi, Kagera and the surrounding areas as it will increase the power in the National Grid and strengthen the availability of reliable electricity in the country. The government will not be ready to tolerate delays caused by the negligence of contractors”, said Mr. Ndejembi.
He has directed TANESCO within two weeks to complete the inspection and submit the information to his office.
He congratulated the Executive Director of TANESCO for his efforts to hold regular meetings with the contractor as well as taking various steps to solve the challenges that arise in the implementation of the project.
Director of TANESCO, Mr. Lazaro Twange said TANESCO has received all the instructions given by the Minister and will ensure they are implemented on time so that the project is completed as planned.
The Malagarasi 49.5 MW project is implemented by Dangfang Electric International Corporation (DEC) from China, it started on April 30, 2024 and is expected to be completed on October 30, 2027 at a cost of more than 300 billion shillings.
Its completion will improve the availability of electricity, In the regions of Kigoma, Katavi, Kagera and neighboring areas as it will increase the power in the National Grid.
