Over 3,100 residents of Mtuli Village in Tanzania's Morogoro Rural District will soon be linked to telecommunication, thanks to an on going initiative to set up of a transmission mast in the area.

The tower will be built as an initiative of Airtel Tanzania in partnership with Universal Communication Services Access Fund (UCSAF).

“What we have done today is clearing the site where the tower will be built. We have also brought all the relevant equipment to the site.

Should we be able to get all relevant approvals from the local government, the aviation department and the National Environmental Management Council (Nemc), then we will have only between two to three months to complete the task,” Airtel Public Relations manager Jackson Mmbando, said.

Morogoro South lawmaker Hamisi Taletale said the initiative would be a big relief to villagers who have to risk their lives climbing trees to make calls.

“Our people are often depriving themselves of the privacy of communication while others spend too much time travelling to an area where they can have access to a communication network,” said Taletale.

Apart from Matuli Village, neighbouring villages of Kwaba, Dibuzi, Lilongwa, Lubumo, Magela, Selegeti A, Selegeti B and Visaraka will also benefit.

UCSAF procurement head John Mukondya said the government has been at the forefront at ensuring that most parts of the country have access to telecommunication services and especially rural areas.

“When you are assured of communication access, farmers are able to access the price of their products in the market. On the day the prices are good then they can take their produce to market,” he said.

He said that this makes it convenient because it reduces the waste of the farmer’s time of moving from one buyer to another in search of a good price for their farm produce.

According to Mr. Mmbando, one of Airtel’s strategies was to continue supporting the government’s efforts in collaboration with UCSAF to provide good communication services to Tanzanians, especially in rural areas.