Makamba: Why changes at Tanesco were inevitable

Dar es Salaam. The Minister for Energy, Mr January Makamba, said on Sunday that despite the pressing need to overhaul Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco), the task was quite daunting.
Introducing the newly-appointed Tanesco board members and its managing director to the power utility firm’s zonal, regional and district managers, Mr Makamba said he spent a good part of his time reading comprehensively so he could understand Tanesco’s operations.
Those introduced included Tanesco’s new board chairman and former head of the disbanded Presidential Delivery Bureau, Mr Omary Issa and new managing director Maharage Chande.
The two were appointed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to their new positions over the weekend.
New board members include: Nehemia Mchechu, Zawadia Nanyaro, Lawrence Mafuru, Cosmas Massawe, Mwanaidi Maajar, Abdallah Hashim, Abubakar Bakhressa and Christopher Gachuma.
Each of the board members boasts of vast experience in private sector operations.
“As soon as I became Energy minister, I spent a good part of my time reading comprehensively with the goal of understanding the operations of Tanesco. This was because I was told to start my assignment by putting things in order at Tanesco and if possible, overhaul the operations,” said Mr Makamba.

He said making major changes to the management of Tanesco was not a walk in the park but noted that he had to do so in order to get things moving.
“We decided to overhaul the management because we want things to move. Those that were removed had done a good job. Their removal does not have to be construed to mean that they are bad people. We only need to have a new direction and for that to happen, we need a new team,” he said.
He said it was the government’s expectation that there would be no resistance to the changes and that Tanesco’s workers would go about conducting their duties without looking at who was leading them and who had been removed.
“I know in some work settings, people have their godfathers but should there be one among you, whose godfather has been removed, rest assured that you will purely be judged by your performance. Life must go on,” he said.
He said it had come to the government’s attention that Tanesco was being weighed down by shortfalls in its operations and management.
“In the new approach, the government will hence force cease to interfere with operations of Tanesco…I promise that you will not be pressurised into making decisions to favour political standings in the management of Tanesco’s operations,” he said.