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Joint project to control Lake Tanganyika drainage

TANZANIA and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have agreed to undertake major rehabilitation of a gate on Lake Tanganyika to control the level of water which has been declining, thus, threatening the lives of millions of peoples of the two neighbouring countries.

Rehabilitation of the gate which was constructed before the two countries gained their independence was recommended by President Jakaya Kikwete, who expressed concern over the depletion of water in the lake that separates the countries. His recommendation was supported by DRC counterpart Joseph Kabila.

President Kabila’s decision to support strengthening of the gate was communicated to President Kikwete in Dar es Salaam on Friday by the DRC leader’s Chief Advisor, Mr Katumba Mwanke who paid courtesy call on him at the State House. Mr Mwanke told President Kikwete that the DRC leader fully agreed with his proposal to control the water level on Lake Tanganyika which is said to be fast declining.

President Kikwete met and held talks with President Kabila’s special advisor at the State House. Mr Kikwete returned from Tanga region where he was on re-election campaign trail for Idd el Fitr celebrations. On his tour of Kigoma region, President Kikwete was told of the declining water level on Lake Tanganyika following the breakdown of the gate which controls water from the Lake.

In July, this year, President Kikwete sent the Minister for Water and Irrigation, Prof Mark Mwandosya, to deliver his proposal to his DRC counterpart on the need to rescue water from the Lake. Earlier, it was suspected that the water level on Lake Tanganyika was declining due to siltation, but was later realized that the special gate built during colonial times had broken down.

The gate controls water flowing to Luguka River which empties its waters to River Congo and ensures the water level remains constant to facilitate other activities on the Lake including; transportation, fisheries and other uses by residents surrounding the Lake. Following the breakdown of the gate, water level on Lake Tanganyika reached 2.5 metres - the lowest level in 12 years since scientists started to monitor the declining level on Lake Tanganyika in 1998.

The rate of water decline on the Lake poses serious threats to people surrounding and depending on Lake Tanganyika for their livelihood as well as the economies of countries bordering the Lake. Tanzania and DRC have strengthened cooperation in protection of Lake Tanganyika’s ecosystem.

“This is an important co-operation among our two countries and it is for this reason that President Kabila has acted promptly to respond to your proposal,” Mr Manke who is also a Member of Parliament in President Kabila’s government, told President Kikwete during talks also attended by DRC Ambassador to Tanzania Mr Juma Khalfan Mpango.

Mr Kikwete, on the other hand, thanked President Kabila for his prompt response to his recommendation on co-operation of the two countries to rehabilitate the gate, stressing that Lake Tanganyika was important for the lives and economies of the millions of people of the two countries and others surrounding the Lake.

He also told the DRC leaders’ special advisor that Tanzania has already contacted the World Bank to see how it can help in rehabilitating the gate. Mr Mwanke wished Tanzania peaceful elections scheduled for October 31, this year.