The celebrations will also involve local communities through activities that promote environmental stewardship and sustainable livelihoods, while mobilising partnerships and resources for ongoing and future basin-wide programmes coordinated by the LVBC.
Mwanza. Preparations have been completed for the inaugural Lake Victoria Day celebrations, scheduled to take place from May 18 to 21, 2026, in Mwanza.
The four-day event will be held at the Nane Nane Grounds in Mwanza City and is expected to draw high-level delegates from the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania and other East African Community (EAC) Partner States.
Speaking with The Citizen on May 12, 2026, the Executive Secretary of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), Dr Masinde Bwire, said the celebrations will provide a strong regional platform to promote sustainable management of Lake Victoria and its basin.
Dr Bwire said the event, organised by the LVBC in partnership with Tanzania as the host country, follows a series of regional planning meetings aimed at ensuring full participation of all EAC Partner States and stakeholders.
The celebrations will be held under the theme “Shared Waters, Shared Future: Uniting for a Sustainable Lake Victoria Basin,” focusing on joint responsibility in protecting the lake while promoting socio-economic growth across the region.
According to Dr Bwire, the theme reflects the importance of the blue economy and climate resilience in securing the long-term sustainability of the basin and supporting communities whose livelihoods depend on the lake.
He said the event will showcase innovations, technologies and best practices in environmental conservation, fisheries, renewable energy and waste management, with emphasis on youth- and women-led initiatives.
The celebrations will also involve local communities through activities that promote environmental stewardship and sustainable livelihoods, while mobilising partnerships and resources for ongoing and future basin-wide programmes coordinated by the LVBC.
School essay and art competitions will be organised under the theme, alongside community clean-up exercises along Mwanza’s lakeshore. Similar activities will be conducted across all riparian EAC Partner States.
Dignitaries will also take part in symbolic clean-up and tree-planting activities, aimed at strengthening collective responsibility in protecting designated zones of the lake.
From May 17 to 21, exhibitions and an innovation fair will be held in Mwanza, bringing together Partner States, private sector actors, research institutions and civil society organisations to showcase solutions in pollution control, fisheries management, renewable energy and waste management.
Special recognition will be given to innovations led by youth and women, reflecting the region’s commitment to inclusive development.
Cultural entertainment will form part of the programme, featuring performances by cultural troupes from across the EAC. Local artisans and small enterprises will also display eco-friendly products and crafts to promote sustainable tourism and community livelihoods.
A two-day Stakeholders’ Forum will be held from May 18 to 19, bringing together civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, utilities, youth and women’s groups, and other key stakeholders to discuss priorities and challenges facing Lake Victoria.
The forum will be followed by a donor roundtable involving development partners, during which the LVBC will present its achievements, strategies, ongoing frameworks and progress in the development of Strategic Plan V.
The main celebrations on May 21 will feature a High-Level Ministerial Segment, presided over by a Guest of Honour from Tanzania and attended by ministers responsible for water, environment, fisheries, maritime affairs and EAC affairs from all Partner States.
Recommendations from the Stakeholders’ Forum will be presented during the ministerial segment, which will conclude with the signing of a Joint Ministerial Communiqué reaffirming commitment to sustainable management of Lake Victoria and its basin.
The event will also mark the launch of two major regional milestones: the Lake Victoria Basin Water Information System (LVB-WIS) and the State of the Basin Report (SoBR).
The LVB-WIS will provide an integrated platform for sharing hydrological, environmental and socio-economic data, supporting evidence-based planning, real-time monitoring and coordinated decision-making among Partner States.
The State of the Basin Report will provide the first comprehensive assessment of the basin’s ecological health, climate risks, water resources and development trends, serving as a reference for policy formulation, investment priorities and long-term sustainability planning.
The establishment of Lake Victoria Day was approved during the 23rd Ordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council on the Lake Victoria Basin to create a dedicated regional platform for promoting sustainable management of Lake Victoria and its basin.
