East African Living lakes Network status report 2008

By Ann Nabangala Obae

Introduction The Mission of East African Living lakes Network is “To build holistic and interdisciplinary approaches that are geared towards ensuring clean and healthy living lakes, supporting man and aquatic ecosystems in a sustainable manner.” As a means of achieving the above Vision and Mission, the following are the specific objectives:

1. To lobby and advocate for streamlining policy and decision making based on sound science and best available information for the sustainable management and use of East African Living Lakes resources

2. To promote networks and partnerships with local, national, and international resource providers to improve infrastructural capacity, support research and share best practice

3. To enhance capacities of members and other stakeholders on sustainable management and use of East African Living Lakes resources

4. To promote and/or undertake research for stock and inventory on various issues pertaining to the sustainable use and management of the East Living Lakes and their resources;

5. To facilitate the conflict resolution process among competing users of the Living Lakes resources in East Africa

The East African Living Lakes Network Status

The network has been operating with the interim secretariat being at OSIENALA. So far there has been no clear cut strategy on legal framework, resource mobilization, execution of members’ interests etc. However the interim secretariat at OSIENALA has been coordinating the East African Living Lakes Network as an open network. During this one year period Profiling of 18 living lakes by contact persons from various organizations across the greater East Africa has been realized. The countries presently represented on the East African living lakes Network include; , Uganda, , Rwanda and Burundi. A data base of all 16 profiled and 2 being profiled lakes has been established and is available for sharing among members. The data base is as below;

Names Country Lake of Profiling Organization Email address interest status 1. Simon Kenya Bogoria Profiled World Wide Fund for [email protected] Chepkonga nature- Nakuru 2. Ken Oluoch Kenya Kanyaboli Profiled Kenya Organization for [email protected] Environmental Education ( SECODE Project) 3. Dr. Obiero Kenya Victoria Profiled OSIENALA ( Friends of [email protected] Ong’ang’a ) 4. Faith Oneya Kenya Magadi On going Youth Conservation [email protected] Organization 5. Righa Kenya Jipe On going OSIENALA ( Friends of [email protected] Makonge Lake Victoria) COSMERLAV 6. Ronald Uganda Albert and On going Earth Savers [email protected] Busiinge George 7. Batista John Tanzania Tanganyika Profiled Sustainable Development [email protected] Foundation 8. Kateregga Uganda Wamala Profiled Uganda Coalition for [email protected] Dennis and Sustainable Development Bunyonyi ( Youth Watch Project) 9. Alexander Uganda Katwe Profiled Makerere University [email protected] Bombom 10. Ann Obae Kenya Chala Profiled Kenya Organization for [email protected] Environmental Education ( SECODE Project) 11. Franklin Simbi Profiled Simbi Nyaima - Ouma Nyamai 12. Frank Rwanda Kivu Profiled The Nile Basin Forum +250 555101786/ HABINEZ Opposite Amahoro +250 (0) 8563039 A National Stadium http://www.nbdfrrwanda.org.rw 13. Jaccqueline Rwanda Tanganyika Profiled Oragnisation pour la Ntukamazin defence de a L’environment au Burundi 14. Douglas Uganda Bisina Profiled Youth Watch- Uganda Kaziro chapter

1. Lake Victoria- OSIENALA (FRIENDS OF LAKE VICTORIA)- Kisumu

Contact person; Dr. Obiero Ong’ang’a- Director OSIENALA

Location: Kenya; Nyanza province

Communities living around the lake: Luo, Suba and Luhya mainly

Spectacular features; Second largest fresh water lake in the world, rich culture of the local people, beautiful islands and bird watching adventures among others

2. (previously Hanningtone)- World Wide Fund for Nature- Nakuru

Contact person; Sirma Chepkonga. Programme officer Environmental Education and Community Development

Location: Kenya; Rift Valley province Communities living around the lake: Tugen (Endorois)

Spectacular features; Hot springs geysers and fumaroles along its shore. It is fed by the hot springs, the geysers, four seasonal rivers and numerous seasonal streams. The rivers are Waseges-Sandai, Loboi, Emsos and Mogun. Great tourism attraction site

Lake Wamala- Youth watch, Fresh water management thematic group – Uganda

chapter

Contact person; Dennis Kateregga. C.E.O Youth watch Uganda Location: Uganda; Central Uganda. Mubende, Mpigi and Mityana districts.

Communities living around the lake: Baganda Spectacular features; Lake Wamala derives it name from the last King “Wamala” of Bachwezi dynasty, which founded the Kitara territory that covered central (including Buganda), western and southern parts of Uganda and part of northern Tanzania, Western Kenya and Eastern Congo in the Bronze Age. The Legend has it that King Wamala disappeared into lake Wamala at a site near Lubajja fishing village called Nakyegalika and his spirit resides in the lake. Hence, people from all walks of life from as far as Kampala frequent this site to perform rituals. At Nakyegalika – one of the spiritual sites where Buganda kings performed rituals to appease spirits, there is a cave of cultural significance that is overseen by Lugave clan one of Buganda’s major clans.

Lake Chala , Kenya Organization for Environmental Education

Contact person; Ann Nabangala Obae. Programme officer Capacity building , Advocacy and Networking

Location: Kenya; Coast province in Taveta on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro Communities living around the lake: Taita

Spectacular features; has more than 250 parasitic cones and craters in the Kilimanjaro ecological complex, which exhibits some of the finest volcanic scenery in the world, presenting a dramatic landscape. Its water is crystal blue with lush green vegetation. It is a beautiful and remote crater lake of natural spring water situated on the southeast plains of Mount Kilimanjaro. recommended. Visitors can hike at the lake and enjoy the beautiful view and fresh air. Aside from plenty of fish, Monitor lizards, baboons, monkeys and common snakes may be seen by chance.

Home for tilapia (Oreochromis hunteri) is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to Kenya.

One major threat facing lake Chala is the Kenya government’s plan to draw water from it for irrigation, a move that is being challenged by the Tanzanian government. Valentine Marc Nkwame Arusha Times (Arusha) June 3, 2006 , Kenya Organization for Environmental Education

Contact person; Ken Oluoch. Programme officer Planning and Management

Location: Kenya; Nyanza province. Siaya district Communities living around the lake: Luo Lake Kanyaboli lies in the north-eastern corner of Lake Victoria. Lake kanyaboli is located on the north-eastern corner of Lake Victoria. Its has an average depth of 3meters and covers a total area of 1500 ha.

It is one of the most important riparian satellite lakes around the Lake Victoria. Lake Kanyaboli is part of which forms the mouth of both Rivers Nzoia and Yala.

The lake is a freshwater deltaic wetland arising from backflow of water from Lake Victoria as well as the rivers’ floodwaters. It provides a very important habitat for refugee populations of certain fish species which have otherwise disappeared from Lake Victoria.

It provides major ecological and hydrological functions and is a major source of livelihood for the neighbouring communities. In particular, the lake continues to be a significant habitat for certain species of animals that have disappeared from the main Lake Victoria.

Lake Kanyaboli is highly productive ecosystem as characterized by the dense growth of macrophytes and its general biodiversity richness. The Lake is also dominated by the emergent papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) and Phragmites mauritianus reeds. In Natural vegetation at the edges of the wetland is heavily affected by human settlement, widespread cultivation and cutting of trees for fuelwood and construction.

A section of Lake Kanyaboli and inset a feeder canal A rich community of invertebrates and fish is found along the river outlets and in the lake. The aquatic nymph of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), dragonflies (Odonata) and stoneflies (Plecoptera) are common in the gravely substratum of the river outlelets. Other macro-invertebrates include oligochaetes (Branchiura sowerbyi) and molluscs.

Major threats to lake Kanyaboli include; eutrophication resulting from increased population pressure coupled by commercial rice farming from the Dominion farms, illegal and over fishing practices by the locals, ecosystem imbalance resulting from introduction of foreign species among others.

In July 2008, a meeting was convened at International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), MBITA Kenya to have East Africa Living Lake Network’s strategy clearly defined. The agenda of the meeting was as follows;

1) Clear strategic direction for East African Living Lakes Network

2) Current work plan East African Living lakes Network

3) Resource mobilization strategies

4) Profiling of lakes / recruitment of more members

5) Bulletins; Articles, developing a clear communication strategy.

Clear strategic direction for East African Living Lakes Network

In line with the World Living Lakes network, the normal arrangements for sub-networks have been merging members at continental level. During this meeting it was however agreed with the consent of the Executive Director (Living lakes) Mr. Udo that East African Living lakes network would be considered as a sub-network on its own. The decision was reached after the meeting reached a consensus that it made sense for the East African people to have an autonomous network owing to the commonality in Language, culture and development perspectives. EALLN’s experiences and good practices would then be up-scaled to the African continent level. For the East African Living Lakes network to be fully recognized by Living lakes there is a need for a proper legal framework to be between one reliable partner coordinating and taking charge of feed back. Initially for the African Living lakes network it has been OSIENALA. The East African Living Lakes network will then need to have a memorandum of cooperation signed through the key representative organization and GNF.

Current work plan East African Living lakes Network, resource mobilization and lakes profiling. All current members of EALLN need to know about the objectives of the network, from the profiles submitted EALLN would draw its outputs, activities and milestones for a period of time. EALLN is going to explore the possibility of coming up with one or two concrete ideas i.e. Poverty reduction, education or pollution. Another option would be to cluster lakes into issue specific areas and develop mini projects out of the same. The pilots would take a country representative approach for easy replicability.

The approach of recruiting members needs to look at partners already working around specified lakes and explore future collaboration with them

Bulletins; Articles, developing a clear communication strategy

Initially the network has been using a gmail address which one of the member organizations (Youth Watch Uganda chapter) volunteered to configure. The address was [email protected]. The address has been very supportive for communication among members; however concerns were raised late last year of the security of the networks information. Suggestions were floated that OSIENALA host a web domain for the network but on consultation such arrangements were not feasible then. GNF during this meeting volunteered to support EALLN with developing a domain which they would host. It was suggested that the web would be; www.globalnature.org/eastafrica. The email address would be [email protected] Mr Udo agreed to follow up with the effecting of these changes in consultation with the interim secretariat, GNF board and the entire membership upon reception of this report.

Way forward 1. A meeting to review the profiles for work plan development would need to take place soonest. It was agreed that the meeting would take place around November 2008 for 2 days.

2. The Venue and exact dates and who will represent which countries will be communicated when the time comes. 1 or 2 people from GNF would be interested to attend to facilitate the network’s legalization process.

3. Mean while the interim secretariat at OSIENALA to come up with pre ideas on what the meeting will focus on but share then across the board early enough to allow to brainstorming and improvement of the same. The meeting would therefore just focus on clear results

Future plans of the East African Living Lakes network in the next one and a half year

Objective Activity Lakes focused on Time frame To lobby and 1.1 Open policy forums All January – December 09 advocate for at regional, National and policies on use and local levels to generate management of issues for agenda setting lakes resources on sustainable lakes management policy formulation 1.2 Lobbying for an All ,, integrated wetland protection policy in region 1.3 Policy paper draft All November –December 09 positions reached and entrenched in the national and regional key decision making structures on environment and water resources management To disseminate 2.1 Information All November 08, March 09, July 09 and knowledge and Education and November 09 information about Communication the different lakes materials (IEC) in the East African production region 2.2 East African Living All January – December 09 lakes Networks workshops 2.3 Development of a Secretariat/ all December 08 clear communication strategy by East African Living lakes Network

To promote 3.1 Artificial wetlands Victoria, Bogoria, August 09- August 2010 innovative Pilots Wamala technologies 3.2 Wetland restoration Kanyaboli, August 09 – August 2010 geared towards Good practices Wamala, Bogoria sustainable use 3.3 Ultra violet water Simbi Nyaima August 09 – August 2010 and management treatment micro of living lakes projects

3.4 Commercial forestry Tanganyika, August 09 – August 2010 Victoria, Jipe and Bogoria 3.5 Eco-san toilets Katwe, Victoria ,, To enhance 4.1 Integration of Chala, Kanyaboli, ,, Institutional sustainable lakes Wamala capacities of local, management national and concept into regional mainstream learning organizations in institutions around sustainable lakes living lakes use and 4.2 Conduct tailored All January – December 09 management trainings for NGOs, CBOs and government departments working around lakes