Dar es Salaam. Some customers have raised concerns that prepaid electricity units are running out faster than expected, but the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) says there is no immediate solution without a professional technical assessment.
Customers told The Citizen’s sister newspaper, Mwananchi, on Friday, January 23, 2026, that they buy the same amount of electricity but find it depleted in a shorter period, despite no increase in usage.
A resident of Tabata, Mr Halman Fred, said he uses a fridge, gas cooker, and fan at home, noting that Sh10,000 worth of electricity, which previously lasted seven days, now lasts only four.
He reported the issue via a Tanesco WhatsApp group and was advised to check for possible electricity leaks.
“I told the officer I had turned everything off and left for work, leaving 13.33 units, but when I returned, I found only 12.39 units,” he said, adding that his monthly electricity budget has risen from Sh40,000 to Sh70,000.
A resident of Sinza, Ms Malaika Tiba, said she used to spend Sh20,000 a month on a fridge, television, and cooker, which are not used frequently, but the same amount now lasts less than two weeks.
Ms Mary Rose, from Magomeni, said she requested a Tanesco technician to inspect her electricity.
“The technician checked and said everything was fine, but the electricity still runs out quickly. The 126 units I bought cannot even last a month, even though our household usage is normal,” she said.
Ms Juliana Wandiba, who runs a small printing and logo office, said: “At the office, we only have a fan, lights, and a computer, yet Sh10,000 worth of electricity lasts two days. I bought 28 units on January 16, but by January 18, the electricity was gone.”
A resident of Kinyerezi, Mr Lazaro Nicholaus, said he usually buys Sh10,000 worth of electricity and gets 28 units, or 23.8 units if there are outages, disclosing that he uses it only for lights and TV, but it now lasts just two weeks.
“I bought electricity on January 9, 2026, and received 23.8 units. On January 23, I bought 28 units. Previously, the same electricity would last 28 to 30 days, but now it only lasts 14 to 15 days,” he said.
Tanesco responds
Responding to citizens’ concerns, Tanesco Managing Director Lazaro Twange said there is no straightforward answer without a professional assessment of the specific area.
“The issue is often caused by internal household wiring, which is not directly under Tanesco’s management. Once electricity enters a home, the wiring is the homeowner’s responsibility,” he said.
Mr Twange said the first step for affected customers is to contact the technician or contractor who installed their system.
“Once the contractor confirms the system is fine, Tanesco can send experts for further assessment,” he added.
He noted that other causes may include theft or illegal connections, where someone taps electricity without the meter owner’s knowledge.
“You may leave for work and without knowing what is happening at home. Someone may have connected to your electricity without your knowledge, affecting your usage,” he said.
Furthermore, Mr Twange stressed that thorough investigations are necessary before identifying the real source of the problem, promising that Tanesco was ready to assist customers once complaints are reported directly.
“If there is one or more customers with such complaints, help us identify them so we can send a technical team to assess and provide solutions,” he said.
He added that all complaints will be shared with regional and district managers to determine if the issue is recurring across multiple areas.
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