Zanzibar dissatisfied with contractors' performance
Second Vice President of Zanzibar, Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, addresses residents and various leaders at the Welezo electricity reception and distribution substation in Mjini Magharibi Region, Unguja.
Unguja. Zanzibar’s Second Vice President, Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, has expressed the Government’s dissatisfaction with the performance of the contractor responsible for constructing electricity distribution lines from various power sources across Unguja.
Citing growing demand for reliable electricity services, Mr Abdulla directed the Ministry of Water, Energy and Minerals to engage the project’s financier, and the World Bank, to explore ways of addressing delays in projects being implemented by the company.
He made the remarks on Wednesday, July 16, 2026, after inspecting the construction of the Welezo electricity receiving and distribution substation and the rehabilitation of electricity generation units at Mtoni in Magharibi A District, Unguja.
Mr Abdulla said the pace of work on projects being undertaken by the contractor ZTT was unsatisfactory and had delayed completion.
“This situation is causing losses to the government and inconvenience to citizens who are expected to benefit from these projects,” he said.
He noted that Zanzibar is implementing major development projects, including ports, airports and roads, to stimulate investment and economic growth, all of which require a reliable electricity supply.
While inspecting the Mtoni power station, Mr Abdulla commended the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation (Zeco) for rehabilitating 30 generators and installing modern systems capable of detecting electricity supply faults and enabling faster responses.
He said the rehabilitation of the generators, which have a combined capacity of 20 megawatts, demonstrates Zeco’s commitment to addressing electricity shortages in Zanzibar.
He also thanked residents for their patience as the government continues implementing major development projects.
The Minister for Water, Energy and Minerals, Mr Nadir Abdullatif Alwardy, said Zanzibar is expected to overcome electricity supply challenges by 2030 through ongoing investments in the sector.
He said the ministry is preparing legal action against ZTT for failing to complete projects on schedule, resulting in losses to the government and inconvenience to electricity consumers.
Zeco director general, Mr Haji Haji, said the Welezo electricity receiving and distribution substation is one of three World Bank-funded projects worth more than Sh59 billion and is expected to be completed in November 2026.
“This project has reached 75 percent completion. However, the biggest challenge is that once the substations are completed, commissioning tests may not be possible because ZTT has failed to complete the construction of the electricity distribution lines,” he said.
ZTT management declined to comment when contacted by The Citizen's sister newspaper Mwananchi.
