East African Community (EAC) partner states have pledged to ramp up investments in the conservation of Lake Victoria, aiming to combat pollution and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
During the 11th Joint Regional Policy Steering Committee (RPSC) meeting on January 31, 2025, in Kisumu, Principal and Permanent Secretaries from EAC member states vowed to increase budgetary allocations for ongoing conservation programs under the rallying cry, “Let Victoria Breathe Again.”
Call for Local Investment in Conservation
Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Water and Sanitation, Julius Korir, who chaired the meeting, emphasized the urgency of locally driven initiatives to rescue the lake. He warned that reliance on international donors was no longer sustainable, urging governments to prioritize self-funded conservation strategies.
“We must mobilize adequate resources from our own revenues to sustain ongoing projects so that this lake can thrive,” said Korir.
He underscored the economic and ecological significance of the lake, which supports millions of livelihoods across the region. Korir urged partner states to consolidate resources and develop new projects to ensure long-term sustainability.
“Our national priorities should not overshadow the need to conserve the lake. We must come to the table with a common agenda of protecting this critical resource,” he added.
Ongoing Conservation Efforts
The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), an EAC agency mandated with the lake’s conservation, highlighted several key initiatives aimed at easing environmental stress on the water body.
Among them is the Lake Victoria Basin Integrated Water Resource Management (LVB-IWRM) Project, which has spearheaded sanitation projects in Kisumu, Kampala, and Kigali. These efforts aim to improve wastewater management and curb urban pollution seeping into the lake.
Other notable projects include:
- Multinational Lake Victoria Maritime Communication and Transport (MLVMCT) Project – Enhancing safe and sustainable lake transport.
- Nile Cooperation for Climate Change Resilience (NCCR) Project – Addressing climate change challenges affecting the lake.
Uganda’s Permanent Secretary for Water and Environment, Alfred Okot, stressed the urgency of continued joint efforts, warning that climate change remains a serious threat to Lake Victoria’s ecosystem.
“We must remain committed to these conservation efforts. The threats to the lake are evolving, and so must our interventions,” he said.
Rwanda’s Water PS, Beatrice Cyiza, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that regional cooperation was essential for effective conservation.
“Saving Lake Victoria cannot be done in silos. We must act collectively to achieve lasting results,” she stated.
Scaling Up Conservation Initiatives
LVBC Executive Secretary Dr. Masinde Bwire reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with development agencies to expand and sustain conservation projects.
“We are scaling up engagements with stakeholders to complete ongoing projects and initiate new interventions to protect the lake for future generations,” he said.
With mounting pollution and climate change pressures, East African governments now face a race against time to safeguard Lake Victoria’s future—an effort that will demand political will, financial commitment, and unwavering regional cooperation.
