Every evening in the Mihama area of Kitangiri, Mwanza, darkness brought more than just sleep; it halted opportunity. Children struggled to study, small businesses closed early, and residents relying on evening work faced expensive alternatives just to keep going.
For Marietta Kazungu, a resident of Mihama who earns a living crushing stones, electricity was a dream she could not afford. “I am very happy with the Solar Girls programme because children can now study at night.
I have never been able to install TANESCO electricity because I do not have the money. My husband has been sick for 30 years, so our financial situation is difficult,” she says.
Before the solar system arrived, her family’s day ended early. “Now I can delay sleeping. Instead of sleeping at midnight, I can continue working,” she says.
Marietta’s experience reflects a wider challenge facing many Tanzanian households: electricity access has expanded significantly, but the final connection to every home remains a struggle, especially for low-income communities.
Lower rates
According to data from TANESCO, electricity access has increased nationally, with the utility reporting that access reached 85.5 per cent by the end of 2025, while rural access stood at 78.1 per cent.
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However, connection rates remain lower, showing that reaching a village or neighbourhood with electricity infrastructure does not always mean every household is connected.
The World Bank’s development indicators have also highlighted the ongoing electricity access gap, reporting Tanzania’s electricity access at 48.3 per cent of the population in 2023, using its indicator methodology. Differences between measurements often reflect whether data captures household connections, wider access, or the availability of electricity services.
In Mihama, the statistics become personal stories. Daniel Samuel, a resident who makes charcoal stoves, says unreliable electricity affected his ability to earn income. “Before solar, I was using batteries.
Lack of reliable electricity affected my work because I could not complete orders from customers at night,” he explains. For Daniel, connecting to TANESCO was never an option.
“I never thought about applying for TANESCO electricity because you need money,” he says.
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The challenge is not only the availability of electricity infrastructure but also the affordability of connection. TANESCO’s connection costs vary depending on distance and location.
For rural customers, connections where existing infrastructure is within 30 metres can cost about Sh27,000, while longer distances can increase costs to hundreds of thousands of shillings. For households living on irregular incomes, even these costs can become a major barrier.
Daniel believes infrastructure development must go together with electricity expansion. “The government should improve roads and local infrastructure so electricity providers can easily reach these areas,” he says. “When roads are better, it becomes easier for TANESCO to come and see the situation here.”
Filling the gap
The gap left by affordability and last-mile challenges is where community initiatives are emerging. Through the Solar Girls project, Urafiki Girls, working with MITZkits Company, is introducing solar solutions while training young women to become solar technicians.
The project began after community surveys identified households struggling without electricity. Selemani Gubabu Poul, Programme Manager at Urafiki Girls, says the organisation discovered the problem through direct engagement with residents, including children attending their computer learning programmes.
“We have children who come here every Saturday to learn computers, but some told us they cannot study at home because they do not have electricity,” he says.
The project has started with five pilot households, with plans to expand to 50 households before reaching a target of 120 homes. “We understand that delivering electricity is the responsibility of the government, but this is our contribution towards supporting community development,” Poul explains.
The project is not designed to replace the national electricity grid, but to provide an alternative while communities continue waiting.
Women’s participation
Beyond lighting homes, the initiative is challenging another inequality: women’s participation in technical fields. Joanita John and Hope Rogers are among young women trained to install solar systems in Mihama.
“At first we were many girls in the training. Six of us started, but some left after getting another opportunity to learn tailoring. Two of us remained and installed solar systems in five pilot homes,” Joanita says.
The training changed how they viewed their future. “We realised this is not a common opportunity for girls. We believe we can succeed through this Solar Girls programme,” she says. However, Joanita says sustainability requires more than installation skills.
“We need support to continue with businesses because we cannot install solar systems every day. We also need more education and opportunities to learn from other regions,” she says.
MITZkits Company provides the technical expertise behind the project. Wilson Richard Mabala, the company’s founder and CEO, says their role is developing solar systems, training technicians, and ensuring the technology fits community needs.
“We are not replacing government responsibilities. We are supporting what the government is already trying to do because there are still areas where electricity has not reached,” he says.
The company tested different solar configurations during the pilot phase to identify systems suitable for different household needs. “Sustainability is important. The beneficiaries will contribute something small, so they develop ownership and do not see this only as assistance,” Mabala explains.
As Tanzania expands electricity infrastructure, how quickly can underserved communities move from waiting to being connected? Mihama Street Chairperson Jonathan Shiwanda says local leaders have repeatedly raised the electricity challenge.
“We have presented the issue of the high cost of installing electricity to the responsible authorities, but the response has always been that they have received the concern and will work on it,” he says.
Mariam Gichan is an archaeologist and journalist based in Dar es Salaam. She can be reached at mariamgichan@gmail.com or on +255 754 215 690.
