Otafiire Demands Urgent EAC Action to Save Lake Victoria Basin

Sector ministers and high-ranking delegations from East African Community partner states recently converged in Kisumu, Kenya, for the 24th Ordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers for the Lake Victoria Basin. Presiding over the summit, Uganda’s Minister of Water and Environment, Gen Kahinda Otafiire, issued a stern warning regarding the severe ecological threats facing the shared water body.

Highlighting data from the 2025 State of the Basin Report, Otafiire pointed out that roughly 42.6% of the catchment area is currently at high risk of erosion. Furthermore, regional wetlands have dwindled by about 33% from the 1980s to the 2020s. Although the basin generates upwards of $1.1 billion annually from roughly 1.14 million tonnes of fisheries, these vital economic benefits are severely threatened by ongoing environmental degradation and climate change.

The Ugandan minister also drew attention to regional weather forecasts indicating an elevated probability of El Niño conditions and heavy rainfall. Recalling the catastrophic floods of 2020, which submerged about 640 square kilometres of Uganda’s shoreline and displaced 29,000 residents, Otafiire emphasized the urgent need for proactive transboundary preparedness. He urged member states to improve hydrometeorological monitoring, early warning systems, and the coordinated management of lake levels to protect downstream communities.

Beyond environmental concerns, Otafiire addressed internal operational challenges within the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, warning that ongoing staffing shortages and governance gaps could severely hinder project implementation and institutional effectiveness.

Read the full report on The Observer.