Communities across Africa on Friday, July 18, 2025, came together to mark one year of REPower Afrika, a campaign advocating for decentralised, people-powered renewable energy solutions. Offline mobilisations took place in Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), uniting communities, civil society, and youth leaders in a shared call for energy justice, equity, and urgency in Africa’s transition.
In Hoima, Uganda, the Oil Refinery Residents Association (ORRA) convened a community energy forum, creating space for farmers and resettled families affected by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to share their lived experiences and visions for a just energy future. Meanwhile, in Tanga, Tanzania, the Partnership for Green Future (PGF) is hosting a similar community celebration and stakeholder dialogue, bringing together residents, youth leaders, and local policymakers.
Both gatherings include storytelling, open dialogue, and reflections on one year of REPower, with panels focused on community needs and policy gaps. Participants were encouraged to contribute to a “Vision Wall” where they can share their energy dreams and engage with a “Call to Action” station featuring petitions and volunteer sign-ups – collectively envisioning accessible, socially owned energy systems that can power homes, schools, and small businesses.
“This is a celebration of action, resilience, and community power. From Hoima to Tanga to Kinshasa, communities are showing what a people-centered energy transition looks like. We are not just resisting fossil fuel expansion, we are building a new future powered by justice and collective imagination,” said Lynn Kamande, Regional Campaign Organiser at 350Africa.org.
In Kinshasa, DRC, the Mouvement des Jeunes pour la Protection de l’Environnement (MJPE) organised a creative action at the symbolic Échangeur de Limete, where 30 participants, including volunteers from Greenpeace Africa and the Laudato Si Movement, gathered with banners, posters, and a clear message: fossil fuel dependency must be replaced with clean, just, locally led energy alternatives.
To mark this milestone, 350Africa.org and the Afrika Vuka network launched a new creative advocacy tool, the “Solar Samurai: The Comic Book”. It’s a storytelling project that brings the campaign’s vision to life through art. The comic follows African communities standing up to fossil fuel companies and pushing for clean, just, and community-owned energy solutions. The comic is freely available for public download and is meant to inspire communities, students, and youth activists. It was created as part of the campaign’s broader public education strategy.
Since its launch on July 18, 2024, REPower Afrika has driven more than 25 actions across the continent, building community networks, supporting local organising, convening dialogues, and expanding the narrative around energy and climate justice in Africa.
According to the promoters, the anniversary is not just a reflection on the past year, but a collective call to deepen the organising, demand urgent investment in decentralised renewable energy, and continue placing communities at the heart of the transition.