Majaliwa emphasises the need for preserving Rufiji Basin

The premier’s call is consistent with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directions, which called for the protection of water sources to avoid impeding the water generation project.

The basin is composed of water from the Kilombero Basin, which contributes 65 percent; the Luwegu River, which contributes 15 percent; the Ruaha River, which contributes 19.5 percent; and other small rivers, which contribute 0.5 percent.

To respond to calls from top government leaders, the board has halted issuing 125 new permits for water use along the Rufiji River.

“We will not issue new permits until the JNHPP is completed. We want to run with time to sustain our water sources,” the board’s head of the water resources allocation section, Mr Gallus Ndunguru, told The Citizen in a recent interview.

However, the board’s director, Mr Florence Mahay, said invaders diverting water to other uses threatened the timely water-filling process in the JHNPP Dam. “We are now critical of legal procedures in obtaining permits. At the moment, we have stopped the issuance of those permits and invested in identifying law violators,” he said.

Furthermore, he said the board was considering recruiting guards to protect water sources from invasion.

“We are collaborating with the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco) in recruiting over 50 security guards for intensifying water source protection,” he said. By March 4, 2023, the volume of water entering JNHPP had reached 135.15 meters above sea level, compared to 74.84 meters when the dam was inaugurated by President Hassan on December 22, 2022.

“The dam needs 34 billion cubic metres of water to be full. Currently, it has attained 2.1 billion cubic metres volume,” he said.

Efforts in Kilombero

Kilombero District Commissioner, Mr Dustan Kyobya, has banned deforestation activities through agriculture and breeding in the water sources to protect the river.

He said citizens from the district had a huge responsibility to maintain and preserve water sources, hinting that all those cultivating along water sources have been directed to vacate with immediate effect.

“Likewise, all those breeding in the reserve or Kilombero Forest should leave because persisting activities will greatly destroy the environment,” he said. Furthermore, he directed local officials and leaders at the grassroots level to manage and intensify environmental protection measures by identifying and acting accordingly against the culprits. He said recently that nearly 250 cattle had been confiscated in the conservation area and that the court case was underway.

Efforts in Mbarali

Mbarali District Commissioner in Mbeya Region, Colonel Denis Mwila, asked citizens to be at the forefront in protecting water sources for the benefit of present and future generations.

“They will have huge benefits for the nation because without reliable electricity, no progress will be made by the country. It will not make sense if the dam is built and then we are missing enough water because of destruction caused by human activities,” he said.

For his part, Rufiji Basin Water Board engineer Mr Abisai Chilunda said some citizens have been stealing water at night for irrigation without their knowledge, a vice they have been fighting against.

The basin’s hydrologist, Mr Ally Diwani, said they have recorded significant achievements following their decision to involve citizens through education.