Environment

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Lake Jipe is dying

Posted: Friday January 18, 2008 4:23 PM BT

Members of parliaments from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and the members of the Eastern Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) have expressed great concern over Lake Jipe which is on death row. The MPs now castigate their constituent governments for remaining silent while water weeds keep on engulfing and suffocating the lake found in Mwanga district, Kilimanjaro Region.

Lying on the common border of Tanzania and Kenya, the lake is now covered by weeds known as Typha domingesis and Cyperus papyrus, hence posing a threat to the livelihoods of residents from Jipe ward.

They depend on the lake for fishing and other social and economic activities.

Speaking after visiting the lake on Wednesday, the MPs. accompanied by officials of the Pangani River basin, said the governments of Kenya and Tanzania had an obligation to rescue it.The Member of Parliament for Moroni constituency in Kenya, Professor Patric Aliyecho, said: "1 wonder why our governments are just watching while this lake is drying up, they should do something.

"This kinds of water weeds are very dangerous and we can not claim that we are developed while living this situation to remain as it is. Our people are not getting fish now," he added.

Prof Aliyecho, who is an expert in plant breeding agriculture, discovered the reasons for the fishermen's small catches. He said fishermen in Lake Jipe use about ten hours to get less than ten small fishes, and sometimes emerge from the lake with nothing.

He cited the Netherlands which reclaimed the land needed for various economic activities saying, "They used a lot of money to change the ocean into arable land, why don't we use the money to remove these dangerous water
weeds.

On his part a members of EALA Mr. Augustine Lotodo, said by rescuing Lake Jipe it was the same as helping the residents who have been getting their daily bread from that lake.

However, he called on the three EAC states to increase the budget for the East Africa Legislate assembly to enable it to deal with various matters.

"Our budget is very small. We have to be empowered financially to enable us to deal with various matters like this one of Lake Jipe, otherwise we can do nothing". Commenting on the matter, the MP for Kilindi constituency in Tanzania, Ms Beatrice Shelukindo, said there was a need to use advice from Jipe dwellers in solving the problem.

According to a councilor of Jipe, Mr Twalib Kidaya, Lake Jipe occupies 28,4 square kilometers, but much of it is covered by water weeds especially on the Tanzania side.He said as the situation became worse, some families shifted to Nyumba ya Mungu and Lake Rukwa, adding that the situation has led some families to be abandoned by the heads of households.

At the wrapping up session some participants expressed concern if ever the responsible governments will respond positively to their recommendations of how to rescue Lake Jipe.

It was agreed that all members, should strongly present the matter in their respective country's parliaments to find a lasting solution to rescue the disappearing lake. It was further revealed that the situation was worse to residents of Jipe ward because the water weeds created a habitat for dangerous animals such as crocodiles and hippos.

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