Dodoma. The government on June 2, 2025 launched the National Communications Strategy on Clean Cooking Energy, aiming to raise public awareness and support Tanzania’s shift to 80 percent usage of clean cooking energy by 2034.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Doto Biteko, officiated the launch, urging full-scale implementation of the strategy from the national to community level.
He also unveiled a nationwide public awareness and education campaign to promote behavioural change and adoption of clean cooking alternatives.
“This strategy must not remain shelved. Its execution should cascade to the lowest government structures, with private sector players, development partners and the media taking active roles,” Dr Biteko stressed.
Dr Biteko hailed President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her steadfast leadership in championing clean cooking energy both locally and globally.
He noted that since the launch of the National Clean Cooking Energy Strategy (2024–2034) on 8 May 2024, the uptake of clean cooking solutions in Tanzania had risen from 6 percent to 16 percent.
“To further this agenda, the President established a dedicated Clean Cooking Energy Unit within the ministry, which continues to spearhead national projects and campaigns,” he said.
Dr Biteko cited research showing that 2.1 billion people—equivalent to 24.7 percent of the global population—lack access to clean cooking energy. Of these, around 990 million, or 47.1 percent, reside in Africa.
“Tanzania, like the rest of Africa, must accelerate its journey towards clean cooking energy. Every institution must take full responsibility in this transformative agenda,” he added.
He called on stakeholders to design campaigns tailored to specific community groups, enhance public understanding of financing options and affordability, and ensure clear, consistent messaging across all platforms.
The Deputy Prime Minister also directed the ministry’s Monitoring and Evaluation Unit to conduct quarterly assessments of the strategy’s implementation to measure progress and adjust interventions accordingly.
Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Rosemary Senyamule, reiterated the region’s commitment to the clean energy agenda, citing ongoing efforts that include the use of clean cooking energy in nine prisons, three VETA centres and nine boarding schools.
Deputy Minister for Energy, Ms Judith Kapinga, said the clean cooking agenda had become a flagship within the energy sector over the past four years, thanks to President Samia’s diplomatic clout which had elevated the subject to both national and international prominence.
“This strategy will fast-track clean energy programmes and catalyse the transition from traditional to modern cooking solutions,” she said.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Energy, Mr Felchesmi Mramba, described the communications strategy as a critical enabler of the broader 10-year national clean cooking framework.
He said the strategy was developed by the ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), with financial support from the European Union.
The strategy is guided by the slogan “Clean Cooking Energy, Save Lives and the Environment.”
“The main goal is to increase institutional and public understanding of the importance of clean cooking energy. It includes targeted campaigns and the strengthening of reliable communication channels,” he said.
Parliamentary Energy and Minerals Committee Chairperson, Mr David Mathayo, commended the President for setting the clean cooking agenda in motion and praised Dr Biteko’s leadership in steering the ministry in close collaboration with Parliament.
A representative of ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Rodney Thadeus, said that his ministry would work closely with the Energy ministry and media to ensure effective implementation of the communications strategy.
Presidential Advisor on Clean Cooking Energy and Community Development, Ms Angellah Kairuki, said the launch of the strategy was a pivotal step in informing the public about the significance of clean cooking.
EU Head of Resources, Mr Lamine Diallo, lauded the ministry of Energy for its commitment and tangible steps to improve citizens’ wellbeing through clean cooking energy solutions.
