EALA passes bill to harness Lake Victoria Sh88b potential
RESOURCE: The potential of Lake Victoria to contribute an estimated $800 million (Sh88.09 billion to the economy of the East African Community is on track following the passage of a bill mandating a regional body to protect the resource.
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) enacted the Lake Victoria Basin Commission 2020, providing a legal framework for Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) to be an institution and corporate body of the Community.
Under the arrangement, LVBC is now expected to be responsible for among other duties, the coordination of stakeholder participation in sustainable development of natural resources of the Lake Victoria basin, and harmonisation of policies, laws, regulations and standards.
Legislator, Ndangiza Fatuma termed the bill as progressive and said the Institution was a key and strategic one.
She said the lake has the potential to contribute to over $800 million to the region’s economy.
“The Bill will help the institution to empower the Lake Victoria basin commission to undertake direct mobilisation of funds and entry into contracts,” Ndangiza added.
The Assembly further urged the Council of Ministers to review and amend the Protocol for Sustainable of the Lake Victoria Basin.
It observed that Lake Victoria Basin is an important resource for the entire East African Community which needs to be jointly protected by the entire community.
Prior to the enactment, a report of the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources, revealed that despite Lake Victoria basin been a major resource and habitation for people of the Community, LVBC was incapacitated by staff and resources and therefore, unable to effectively undertake its mandate.
Partner States
The Committee further urged the Council of Ministers to direct the Partner States and the LVBC to establish joint surveillance for safety, security and rescue in the entire lake.
“In addition, the Commission ought to put in place more strategies to reduce accidents and deaths within the Lake Victoria,” the statement stated.
The EALA members also noted that the invasive water hyacinth weed, over-release of water from the lake and the abstraction from rivers (catchment rivers) is hampering the survival of the basin.
The Assembly further asked the Council of Ministers to direct LVBC to embark on the process of harmonisation of Partner States’ policies and laws appertaining to the Lake Victoria Basin.
In so doing, the LVBC is expected to put more strategies in place to reduce accidents and deaths within the Lake basin.
