The Dam Nyerere Dreamed of for 50 Years: Tanzania Inaugurates Julius Nyerere in a Major Egyptian Achievement at the Heart of Africa
Tanzania today celebrated the inauguration of the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Dam and Power Station, built on the Rufiji River by the Egyptian consortium comprising The Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric, in a major project that represents an important milestone in the country’s energy and development efforts and highlights the capabilities of Egyptian companies in implementing major strategic projects across Africa.
Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, said in a statement posted today on her official account on the social media platform X that it was “a great and historic day” for the country as she inaugurated the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Station.
She said the project fulfills the vision of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, the founding father of the nation, who had envisioned for more than 50 years the generation of electricity from the Rufiji River to support Tanzania’s development.
President Samia expressed her deep appreciation to her predecessors, leaders and officials across various ministries and institutions, as well as Tanzanian citizens, for their valuable contributions to completing the project.
President Samia: Julius Nyerere Project Demonstrates Africa’s Capacity to Deliver Major Projects
President Samia said the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Station stands as an example of Tanzania’s ability to implement major strategic projects. She added that it also demonstrates that African countries, by joining forces and working together, are capable of achieving major accomplishments that serve the interests of their peoples.
Among the project’s key benefits, she noted, is its contribution to raising Tanzania’s electricity generation capacity to 4,646 megawatts, ensuring a reliable electricity supply for the country, in addition to generating a surplus that Tanzania will be able to sell to neighboring countries.
She also highlighted the project’s contribution to creating employment opportunities for thousands of young Tanzanians and providing them with the skills and experience needed to participate in the country’s development.
President Samia urged Tanzanians to take advantage of the opportunities created by the project while paying close attention to environmental protection, particularly water resources, and safeguarding the project’s infrastructure to ensure its sustainability and ability to serve future generations.
She also directed the Ministry of Energy to accelerate the construction of electricity transmission and distribution lines so that citizens can benefit directly from the investment in the project and see its impact reflected in their daily lives and in the country’s development.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly Attends Inauguration on Behalf of President El-Sisi
Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt, attended the inauguration ceremony of the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Dam and Power Station on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
He was accompanied by a high-level Egyptian delegation comprising Dr. Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation; Eng. Randa El-Minshawi, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities; Eng. Ahmed Ateya, Governor of Alexandria and former Deputy Director of the consortium; Ambassador Sherif Ismail, Egypt’s Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania; Eng. Ahmed El-Assar, Chairman of The Arab Contractors Company; Eng. Ahmed Elsewedy, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Elsewedy Electric; as well as officials and representatives of the Egyptian consortium implementing the project.
Senior Tanzanian Officials Attend Inauguration Ceremony
Following an inspection tour of the project’s various components, the official inauguration ceremony of the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Dam and Power Station began in the presence of President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania; Dr. Emmanuel John Nchimbi, Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania; Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council; and Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba, Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania.
The ceremony was also attended by a number of senior Tanzanian officials, including the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, the Minister of Energy and the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals.
The inauguration ceremony opened with the national anthem, followed by an opening prayer attended by representatives of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, the Christian Council of Tanzania and the Tanzania Episcopal Conference.
The ceremony also featured a presentation and a documentary film highlighting the various stages of implementation of the major strategic project, in addition to a series of artistic and cultural performances.
The program included speeches by a number of senior Tanzanian officials and concluded with the keynote address delivered by President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Madbouly: Julius Nyerere Project Received President El-Sisi’s Support and Attention
In his remarks during the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly affirmed that the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Dam and Power Station project had received the attention and support of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
He pointed to the Egyptian president’s continued directives to accelerate the pace of work on the project and ensure that its various components and stages were implemented to the highest standards.
Madbouly stressed that the project is of great importance because it demonstrates the capabilities and expertise of Egyptian national companies and their professional teams in implementing major projects at the international level, particularly in Africa.
He emphasized that the Egyptian consortium had made outstanding efforts in implementing the project, noting that Egypt is ready to participate in the implementation of development projects in sister African countries.
Egypt Reaffirms Support for Development Efforts in Africa
The Egyptian prime minister stressed that Egypt’s participation in the implementation of the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Dam and Power Station reflects the Egyptian state’s commitment to supporting development efforts in African countries and leveraging the expertise and capabilities of Egyptian companies in implementing major infrastructure and development projects.
Madbouly praised the distinguished efforts made by the Egyptian consortium responsible for implementing the project, comprising The Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric, emphasizing that Egypt stands ready to contribute to the implementation of development projects in sister African countries and to support their development plans.
The inauguration of the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Dam and Power Station on the Rufiji River marks an important milestone in the longstanding Egyptian-Tanzanian partnership. The project also represents a model of cooperation in implementing major energy and infrastructure projects and highlights the growing role of Egyptian companies in carrying out strategic projects across Africa.
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