Prime
Tanzania declares invasive weed in Lake Victoria contained
What you need to know:
- Attention has now shifted to managing the native Lutende weed, which, despite contributing to biodiversity, continues to impact Lake Victoria by disrupting transportation and fishing when it detaches from the shoreline and spreads across open waters
Mwanza. The government says it has successfully contained the spread of the invasive aquatic weed, Salvinia molesta and is now focusing on managing the native Lutende weed, which continues to affect Lake Victoria.
The Permanent Secretary in the Vice President's Office (Union and Environment), Mr Cyprian Luhemeja, revealed the development on May 19, 2025, during Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa's visit to the Kigongo–Busisi area in Mwanza to assess weed removal efforts.
Mr Luhemeja said 840 tonnes of Salvinia molesta have been removed from the lake between February and May 18, restoring transport routes in the area.
“The current focus is on Lutende, which has spread across 375 acres. So far, 65 acres have been cleared,” he said.
The director of Environmental Research at the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Dr Menan Jangu, said small boats and nets have been used to manually remove the weeds.
These efforts have improved ferry transportation.
“Lake Victoria faces three aquatic weeds: the invasive Salvinia molesta, the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), and native Lutende. The water hyacinth has been controlled with help from the Lake Victoria Basin Water Board (LVBWB), but Lutende remains a challenge,” he said.
Although Lutende supports biodiversity and filters runoff, it disrupts transport and fishing when it detaches and spreads.
Jangu said that the government has procured two machines to process Salvinia molesta and another to manage Lutende.
The machines are expected by July 2025, and once deployed, operations will expand across the lake basin.
The Vice President’s Office and a task force of permanent secretaries will oversee weed control and issue quarterly updates.
Prime Minister Majaliwa praised the progress and instructed the LVBWB and other institutions to ensure full weed removal.
“We must clean the area to preserve transport and prepare for the bridge project,” he said.
He warned that weeds could hinder ferry services and damage vessels.
The government will also train local experts in Uganda to learn best practices for managing invasive aquatic species.
“I thank President Samia Suluhu Hassan for approving funding for the machines, which will operate throughout Lake Victoria,” he said.
