Mwanza. The East African Community (EAC) has launched its 2025 report on the state of the Lake Victoria Basin — the first of its kind — featuring nine chapters that provide an in-depth assessment of the lake region’s current conditions.
The report analyses a range of challenges affecting the lake, including ecological degradation, environmental pressures, urban planning gaps, industrial growth, employment trends, tourism, and transport infrastructure such as roads, railways and inland water transport systems.
Speaking on May 20, 2026 during a preparatory meeting ahead of the climax of the Lake Victoria Day commemorations scheduled for May 21, 2026 — marking 30 years since the MV Bukoba ferry disaster — the Executive Secretary of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Dr Bwire Masinde, said urgent intervention is needed to rescue the lake.
Dr Masinde said the lake’s condition, particularly in major urban centres such as Mwanza City, continues to deteriorate due to severe environmental pollution. He noted that plastic waste and other solid refuse are still being dumped into the lake, accelerating ecosystem damage.
“Over the years, the state of Lake Victoria has continued to worsen. Experts warn that if urgent measures are not taken, within the next 30 to 50 years it may become extremely difficult to restore it to its original condition,” said Dr Masinde.
He added that several fish species that were once abundant have begun to disappear due to environmental destruction and unsustainable fishing practices.
“We must act now. Fish that were once plentiful have declined significantly. If we do not restore the lake’s environment before pollution intensifies further, some species may disappear completely,” he warned.
Dr Masinde further noted that Nile perch, a key economic species and a major source of food for communities around the lake, has declined sharply. Tilapia stocks have also reduced, while indigenous fish species continue to vanish.
He stressed the need for robust strategies to promote sustainable fishing while safeguarding drinking water quality, warning that solid waste entering the lake eventually turns toxic, posing serious health risks to surrounding communities.
The report also highlights a worrying rise in illegal fishing activities across the Lake Victoria region. The use of poison, prohibited nets and other illegal technologies continues to spread across Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Dr Masinde called on relevant authorities to strengthen patrols and enforcement mechanisms to curb illegal fishing within the lake.
“We commend the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania for the steps it is taking, and Uganda has also made significant efforts. However, it is still not enough. Communities themselves must take ownership of the fight against illegal fishing,” he said.
He warned that the use of poison in fishing poses a direct health threat, as fish caught using toxic substances are consumed by the same communities that harvest them.
“Communities must understand that stopping illegal fishing is their responsibility. It is difficult to comprehend how one can knowingly consume poisoned fish and share it with family and neighbours,” he added.
Dr Masinde further observed that there has been a rise in non-communicable diseases, including cancer, in the Lake Victoria region. He noted that in the 1960s such illnesses were rare in the area, but today referral hospitals such as Ocean Road in Tanzania, alongside facilities in Kisumu, Kenya, and Kampala, Uganda, are receiving increasing numbers of cancer patients from the region.
He said the East African Community has developed short-, medium- and long-term strategies to address the multiple challenges facing the lake.
On his part, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Tanzania Resident Representative, Amon Manyama, said Lake Victoria remains a vital resource for citizens of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.
“We would like to see all citizens — youth, women, the elderly and other groups — benefiting from the resources of Lake Victoria,” said Mr Manyama.
He said UNDP’s contribution includes supporting research to determine the level of pollution in the lake and identifying effective solutions, including the use of technology to remove water hyacinth.
He added that such innovations could help convert the invasive weed into fertiliser and animal feed, while plastic waste could be recycled into new products, creating economic opportunities for youth and women.
On safety, Mr Manyama said governments have introduced ambulances, constructed emergency monitoring stations and strengthened patrol services using specialised boats to assist lake users.
He noted that these interventions are also expected to boost tourism in the Lake Victoria region. UNDP, he said, has already conducted an assessment of tourism attractions in Tanzania’s Lake Zone regions, with a promotional campaign set to begin soon, starting with Ukerewe Island, which has been identified as a unique destination.
The Permanent Secretary in Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment, Dr Alfred Okidi, called for stronger collective action to improve the state of Lake Victoria, involving governments, development partners, the private sector and citizens.
He said the key responsibility of relevant institutions is to ensure sustainable management of resources in the Lake Victoria Basin, which spans five East African countries — Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi.
Dr Okidi added that the Lake Victoria Day commemorations were approved by the sectoral Council of Ministers and East African Community leadership, with May 21 designated annually for the observance.
He recalled that the day holds particular significance for Tanzania, as it coincides with the commemoration of the MV Bukoba disaster, which claimed hundreds of lives from Tanzania and across East Africa.
For the first time, the commemorations are being held alongside academic discussions bringing together stakeholders from various sectors within member states to examine environmental pollution challenges, regional cooperation and financing mechanisms for development and conservation projects.
Experts participating in the discussions presented recommendations submitted for funding consideration. Overall, strategic projects worth more than US$2 billion are required urgently to restore and protect Lake Victoria.
The launch of the report, which was funded by the German Development Agency (GIZ).
