The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) this week called for member states to implement the Lake Victoria act in efforts to reduce the increased number of accidents in the lake.
EALA indicated that Lake Victoria Basin Commission need to establish a maritime transportation to be able to track the maritime accident on the water.
“In 2022, we visited Mwanza and one of the Alarming thing that we got was that there was the death rate that has been consistent even annually in the Lake Victoria basin. Be it by the accident; be it because of the lack of guard be it because of other things. It is about 5,000 people annually. This is dangerous,” highlighted the EALA’s commission of regional affairs and conflict resolution.
According to the Regional Assembly, the Lake Victoria Basin Commission raised their concern due to an alarming number of maritime accidents and death recorded per year.
“The LVBC is looking forward to improving maritime safety on Lake Victoria by enhancing search and rescue services, installing aids to navigation equipment, updating navigational charts,” said Francoise Uwumukiza a regional law maker.
Ms. Uwumukiza said that there is need for the amendment of the Lake Victoria transport act 2007 and formulation of relevant regulation under the act, “all these initiative are to reduce the number of marine accidents and incidents occurring on the Lake Victoria,” she added.
“We have seen the danger; I think there is no need to wait. We rather need to take action and have the commitment to ensure these actions realized to the community for the better mint of our people and the better mint of our community,” said one of the EALA law makers.
EALA law makers indicated that Lake Victoria Transport act, 2007 have not been implemented due to partner states favoring their national laws instead of laws and key regulations, which are in place.
It should be noted that the article 8 sub article 4 of EAC treaty stipulates that Community organs, institutions and laws shall take precedence over similar national ones on matters pertaining to the implementation of the EAC Treaty.