A TOTAL of 2,000 gas cylinders with stoves, provided by Oryx and Total Energy, are being distributed to food vendors in the five municipalities of the city of Dar es Salaam.

The cooking equipment was provided at the launch of the ‘Kizimkazi resolution’ tied to the president’s recent visit in Zanzibar for community level awareness raiding campaign.

The wide ranging movement to encourage the use of clean energy to reach 80 percent of the population in a decade has another fitting launch in Dar es Salaam yesterday, where President Samia Suluhu Hassan was accompanied by Dr Doto Biteko, the deputy premier and Energy minister.

A video clip on the event shows the president being interviewed while preparing a meal with the clean energy, stressing the advantages of clean energy to the community, pointing at food vendors as a key client section of the community.

She addressed misconceptions about clean energy, pointing out that gas and electricity are not exclusive to certain lifestyles but are affordable, save time and are beneficial for health.

She urged the public to adopt clean cooking energy solutions to mitigate health, environmental and social impacts, especially for women and children who are most affected.

Even if the long-term effects of using unclean energy are not immediately visible, it is undeniable that women and children bear the burden, spending considerable time collecting firewood and facing dangers in the process.

Unclean energy harms the environment by depleting forests for firewood while contributing to eye irritation from smoke, meanwhile as efforts are being pursued to extend electricity access to rural areas to enable a shift to clean energy.

The government is also reducing taxes on alternative energy sources to make clean energy more accessible and affordable especially in rural areas. Clean energy providers also need to ensure a steady supply of equipment to meet the demand, she said in the interview.

She urged the media to support the initiative by educating the public on the benefits of clean energy, helping the drive to its widespread adoption, hinting at an initiative to improve working conditions for street food vendors.

Promoting clean energy is central to that effort, she said, with the deputy premier praising the Kizimkazi resolution and campaign as helping to raise awareness, despite that challenges remain in promoting clean energy use

Dr Ashatu Kijaji, the Union and Environment state minister in the Vice President’s Office (VPO) stated that last year, 100,000 gas stoves were handed over and this year the government plans to subsidise 450,000 more stoves to enhance public access to clean energy.

Mariam Salim, a food vendor in Temeke municipality, praised President Samia’s personal advocacy for clean energy, noting that it has significantly motivated vendors and demonstrated her care for the underprivileged.

Abdallah Twalib, a food vendor at Kigamboni municipality applauded the campaign, saying it will help avoid high costs associated with unclean energy and even save lives.