Nkhatabay communities not happy with oil exploration on Lake Malawi

Jan 04, 2016 Politics 136
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Lake Malawi

As government plans to begin the exploration of oil on Lake Malawi, communities in Nkhatabay have expressed misgivings with the Peter Mutharika administration’s handling of the issue and have urged government to come in the open and address them since the locals do not want oil drilling on Lake Malawi.

Speaking in an interview, a local Chief who sought anonymity said communities in the district just heard through the grapevine that there will be oil drilling on the lake but they have not been approached so that they can express their objections directly to government officials.

Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi: For oil drilling?

“All we saw here at Kande beach in Nkhatabay were airplanes flying over the lake a couple of months ago and there have been no consultations with locals,” said the chief. “We just hear on the radio oil drilling in the lake is starting soon. We do not want oil drilling in our lake.”

One of the benefits of Lake Malawi for communities in Nkhatabay is that it brings tourists and with the coming in of tourists, a lot of business opportunities have opened up for locals. One such business is the selling of curios along the lake.

Gift Chirwa is a local curios and paint carvings trader operating near Kande Beach in Nkhatabay. He orders artistic carvings from young artists around the Fukamapiri Villages in the district who earn a living through artistic designs. There are many people like Chirwa surviving and earning a living through artistic work in the district.

In an interview, Chirwa who has been doing his business near the beach for nine years emphasised that oil drilling prospects have produced negative publicity that is leading to a low number of tourists going to Lake Malawi.

He expressed disappointment over the lowering standards of tourism on Lake Malawi and called on government to consult locals on the issue since oil drilling will kill their businesses.

However, government has over the past months shown that it is willing to go ahead with oil exploration on Lake Malawi.

“We will soon meet the oil companies that were given the licences so that they begin their processes,” Principal Secretary in the ministry of natural resources, energy and mining Ben Botolo told the media last month.

But speaking with Malawi24, a local environmental activist, Godfrey Mfiti said communities should be equipped to resist oil drilling since it is bad for Malawi.

“As we are getting closer to the actual start of oil drilling in Lake Malawi, a radical approach is needed to stop this process. Our local leaders must be well informed to resist oil drilling in Lake Malawi regardless of political divide. The issue of oil drilling in Lake Malawi in any form will negatively affect ordinary Malawians. Oil drilling will lead to evictions of locals, loss of jobs, loss of tourism and civil conflicts,” said Mfiti.

Godfrey Mfiti
Godfrey Mfiti: More consultations must be done.

Mfiti who heads the aptly named Institute of Sustainable Development (ISD) called on government to shelve its plans to drill oil on Lake Malawi and instead channel its resources towards educating locals on how to conserve the lake so that it attracts green investments since oil drilling is not sustainable.

“The government of Malawi must consult local people and civic educate them on the importance of conserving the outstanding universal values of the Lake Malawi. Malawi’s economy is so much dependent on informal business and employment.

“In the tourist attraction areas the tourism business remains at low standards. The curios and artistic paint carvings are not formally unionized. The business is not regulated. There are no structured shops in areas like Kande in Nkhatabay. The country might be losing millions of forex since the export market for curios and artistic paint carvings is not regulated properly,” said Mfiti.

He also urged government to develop the tourism industry and attract investments in the industry along the lakeshore by locals. He added that banks in Malawi should open up to investors in the tourism industry and gave the example of Kenya where he says tourism has thrived due to availability of capital investment opportunities to local people.

Mfiti believes such investments will be sustainable unlike oil drilling which  has huge potential ecological, environmental, and public health impacts and  Malawi does not have safety nets for the local people in case of any accidents related to oil drilling processes.

“Oil drilling plans without proper legislations, production sharing agreements, safety nets, and no any successful track record of fresh water oil drilling will put Malawi at risk. It is advisable for Malawi government to acknowledge the importance of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” he said. “Over the whole world oil prices are crushing and the world is moving away from crude oil by promoting renewable energy.”

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136 Comments

  2. Tizalora kusegula mafuta mnyanja president akazakhala waku mpoto apo ayi tigawanapo dzikoli!Ndimayesa amapanga matama kuti kumpoto tilibe chilichonse?Ndiye mafuta achoka kuti?Anthuwa akupanga develop matown akwao kokha ndiye pano akufuna azitenga mafuta azipangila chitukuko kumwera?Sizitheka tizaphanapo pamenepo ndibola akumpoto tipange join ndi Tanzania poti ndikumene timadalira kusiyana ndi mbuziyi!!!

  3. Oil drilling is one of the greatest plans that will change the face of malawi for the better, Let those locals die many times, because they dont know what will be the outcome for them and Malawi as a whole

  6. After selling all the companies u decided to drill oil from our beautiful lake.The only president I always salute is His excellency Dr Hesting kamuzu banda keep resting in peace.Chitsime chimaoneka chakuya chikaphwa

  11. Dickson ukuyankhula ngani fiti ixakoyo nose awiri simkuyenera kukhala mzidxo lathu pitan kwanu mutirekere nyanja yo ifeyo tikupexamo phindu osati xamaganidxo anu oipao

  12. Dickson ukuyankhula ngani fiti ixakoyo nose awiri simkuyenera kukhala mzidxo lathu pitan kwanu mutirekere nyanja yo ifeyo tikupexamo phindu osati xamaganidxo anu oipao

  13. Mookoma tiwonetsetse ma presdent NDA ngati komwe alamulila dzulo LA Malawi? ndipo anthu ameneyo samawona kuti nyanja ya Malawi pali mafuta? koma amatha ukuwona za mawa kuti nkapanga ichi chidzandipatsa mavuto , n chifukwa chake amagwilitsa ntchito nzelu nkapita APA ndipindula pa modzi NDA anthu anga , koma kamba ka cashgate ndalama zikusowa NDE atengelepo ntaji? kuti awononge nyanja yathu cholinga tiyiwale nsomba zathu zokoma zija pova iyeyo sikwawo n chifukwa chake akupanga zimenezo iyeyo asanamizile kuti ndalama zikusowa pomwe iyeyo akubinyila binyila $mutu wankhani nkumati Joyce ndamene anaba ndalama NDE ndipange choncho ndalama tizipeza akunama amalawi tisalole ma demo achitikaso muwona ndithu apita ngati mbale wake uja ndithu tisalole kutiwonongela chilengedwe chathu, paja amati mwini khomo ndamene amasamalila kuti pakhomopo padziwoneka bwino NDE kuti pakabwela mulendo asamati mpawuve koma iyeyo akawona kuti pakhomopo pakuwoneka bwino mmmmmmmm amayamba kuchuluka nzelu kukhala ngati khomolo ndilake NDE ndizimene tiziwone APA NDE tiyeni amalawi timange imodzi palibe amene anafa ndi umphawi, iyeyo malo molimbika kulima Ku ma farmu mbewu zoti akagulitae mayiko akunja akulimbana ndi nyanja yatani? ngati palibe ndalama angochoka basi abwelele kwawo basi , tidzilamulila tokha basi

  14. Mookoma tiwonetsetse ma presdent NDA ngati komwe alamulila dzulo LA Malawi? ndipo anthu ameneyo samawona kuti nyanja ya Malawi pali mafuta? koma amatha ukuwona za mawa kuti nkapanga ichi chidzandipatsa mavuto , n chifukwa chake amagwilitsa ntchito nzelu nkapita APA ndipindula pa modzi NDA anthu anga , koma kamba ka cashgate ndalama zikusowa NDE atengelepo ntaji? kuti awononge nyanja yathu cholinga tiyiwale nsomba zathu zokoma zija pova iyeyo sikwawo n chifukwa chake akupanga zimenezo iyeyo asanamizile kuti ndalama zikusowa pomwe iyeyo akubinyila binyila $mutu wankhani nkumati Joyce ndamene anaba ndalama NDE ndipange choncho ndalama tizipeza akunama amalawi tisalole ma demo achitikaso muwona ndithu apita ngati mbale wake uja ndithu tisalole kutiwonongela chilengedwe chathu, paja amati mwini khomo ndamene amasamalila kuti pakhomopo padziwoneka bwino NDE kuti pakabwela mulendo asamati mpawuve koma iyeyo akawona kuti pakhomopo pakuwoneka bwino mmmmmmmm amayamba kuchuluka nzelu kukhala ngati khomolo ndilake NDE ndizimene tiziwone APA NDE tiyeni amalawi timange imodzi palibe amene anafa ndi umphawi, iyeyo malo molimbika kulima Ku ma farmu mbewu zoti akagulitae mayiko akunja akulimbana ndi nyanja yatani? ngati palibe ndalama angochoka basi abwelele kwawo basi , tidzilamulila tokha basi

  15. What are u saying so never learnt on kayerekera ? Did u benefit do u know how profitable it was at its initial stages before Fukushima earthquake. Am sorry u will not benefit unless the act must be changed pertaining to the ownership of land and natural resources in the country. U r still using the 1985 land act ridiculous!!!

  16. What are u saying so never learnt on kayerekera ? Did u benefit do u know how profitable it was at its initial stages before Fukushima earthquake. Am sorry u will not benefit unless the act must be changed pertaining to the ownership of land and natural resources in the country. U r still using the 1985 land act ridiculous!!!

  17. Let gvt do their job why are you talking too much” if you don’t know oil is the big deal to improve our country can’t you seeeeeeeeeeee!

  18. Let gvt do their job why are you talking too much” if you don’t know oil is the big deal to improve our country can’t you seeeeeeeeeeee!

  19. Kodi inu amuthalika, why you want to destroy the northern part of MW? OK, kodi ukufuna zija za m’bare wako zija eti?

  20. Kodi inu amuthalika, why you want to destroy the northern part of MW? OK, kodi ukufuna zija za m’bare wako zija eti?

  21. Malawi pliz stop thinking negativly all the times,,,,sititukuka nazo zimenezo…We have so many lakes that can provide us with fish,dziko likuyenera kutukuka and that is one of a good move…Ofcoz kuba kukhalapo but alot will benefit from it

  25. Guys muzikhala ngati anthu adzelu peter akulakwitsa kwambili anthu ambiri akupulumukira kupha nsombazo kumagulitsa ndiye akapangachocho alakwitsa kwambiri mwava!!

    1. do u knw how bad the move iz???? look AT KAYEREKERA ,,who is benefiting and loozing,,,we loose urenium,,plus we lose our land thrugh mining,,only to get 20%??????????? same wth this,,,we wont benefit,,,instead pipo along the shore wil b evacuated,,somba zizatha where els wil u get them frm,,,, uziganiza

  34. kodi pitara unabwera kudzagwetsa malawi kapena kudzatukula? only a year koma ngat watha 10yrs kusintha zinthu ndikuononga komwe.

  36. KOMA NDIYE NDI ZOONA MAFUTA AKAYAMBA KUPOPA MAFUTA OLEMELA NDI AZUNGU ATIBELA FODYA KUYAMBILA 1964 MULIMI MPAKA LELO ALISANZA WILA. LELOSO AKAYAMBA KUPOPA MAFUTA ANGOTIBWELETSELA NKHONDO.

  40. OIL EXPORATION: winners and losers

    1. WINNERS

    . A handful of local officials mainly politicians and maybe a civil servant or two who will have secret off shore bank accounts stashed with milli
    ons.
    . Foreign oil companies.
    . Foreign oil workers who have skills no local is trained for.
    . A hundred locals working as cooks,cleaners and other non oil related jobs.

    to be continued. . . .

  49. Make money without side effect !!! .are you a business man or woman, are you a musician or an artist, or a footballer,do you want to be famous or you want to become rich or powerful, is better you become a member of the Illuminate and make your dream come through, this is the chance for you now to become a member of the temple and get what you seek from us, if you are ready to become a member and realize your dream then email us now [email protected] you call us through this number: 07065758576

  50. Pitala akufuna kuwononga chilichose kuyambila M S B kugulitsa zipatala kufunaso kuzigulitsa pano akufuna kuwononga nyanja ndi anthu angat amene zingawapindulile zimenezi pitala you are a destroyer.

  54. Chomwe nduuona apa mchakuti Mr. president alibe nazo ntchito zoti nyanja imathandiza kwambiri almost Malawi yonse koma poti kuthyolo kulibe nyanja I think nsanje pansi pamtima ilipo blv me

  55. Kungosokoneza nyanja yamalawi wumphawiwumene tizakhale nawo wosasimbika.Tisamavomeleze kuti poti nsogoleri wang’amba kamwalake motikopa ayi.

  56. Enanu mumaganiza mopepera bwanji Nsomba nsomba for what. welcome this development Look other countries Like. Nigeria and Others tikufuna dziko litukuke osati zanu. za Bonyazo nsomba tidzagula kuchokera mayiko ena

    6. Kumbwambwana ukuona ngat uzaonapo olo 1 kwacha? U think mlw azatukuka? Kuba kwake kumeneku? Mmmm angozunzapo anthu basi apaaa kayerekera inatha anthuso kuluza miyoyo zaziii

    8. Nawe iwe Hammy kapanda kaya ndi bulutu wakukulira sindikudziwa iweyo. tikati dziko latukuka amatathauza kugawa ndalama chabwino panopa akumakupasa ndalama zingati Nyanja ija somba mulibemo zinatha bola awengemo mafuta dziko litukuka mwachangu

    9. dickson I like your ideas. don’t mind those block heads just waiting some people to come up with thoughts and then they come criticizing. when u ask them what they think they will start counting air which is impossible.

    10. dickson I like your ideas. don’t mind those block heads just waiting some people to come up with thoughts and then they come criticizing. when u ask them what they think they will start counting air which is impossible.

  59. kukhala waku NKHATABAY SICHIFUKWA the issue is on lake Malawi not lake nkhatabay MANGOCHI,SALIMA BWANJI SAYANKHULA

  64. Osamaliza Nsanje lnland port bwa? I simumati izatukula malawi.Mumatubwa musanakhale pampando mvekere JB sakusamala za port nanga inu zakukanikani bwa? Nde pano mwangoganiza zongo wononga nyanja kkkkkkkkkkkk

  66. Chibwana inu mukuganiza za somba basii, ine ndikufuna dzikoli lilemere maybe we can develop like other countries you see achinaa Nigeria.

    1. Nigeria with the huge security, corruption, environmental issue. The oil. Pipes in Nigeria have been tapped by people to steal the oil and go sell it, this in turn has created a huge spill which they are trying to contain, but the moment they close one leak. Another one pops up somewhere else. Now, imagine this happening in a lake. Happening to a small country like ours with an economy like ours. And, how do you expect Malawi to compete with countries in the middle east, the usa or even Nigeria? And, one thing we have a lot of is corruption. We will see little of that money. There are no shortcuts to being successful. I doubt your generation or even mine will see Malawi at its best, but all we can do now is do our best to ensure that the generations after us have everything we didnt, work hard so that they have the best of the best. Stop thinking about YOU getting rich now, start thinking about OUR countries successors living the life WE always wanted.

    2. Government will deal with that and install enough security not like Nigeria economic downturn. Either their corruption is too high than any country imagine their currency is down than us but they have oil resources long time. The most Nigerians are very rich, nomatter what is happening currently situation.
      Sometimes if we keep focusing about other countries what there are doing, we will never succeed. And might know that our currency kwacha is falling down each and everyday can’t see that, so by 10 to 20 years,,, muzadya mauzu. Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, Rsa and all the rest in north, West and East Africa are the rich countries than us. Muzibwela ku jozi mpaka liti poti mpila sitimathaso kkkk:-???. Munthu wosauka ndi aulemu chifukwa chakusaukaku,, jozi alephera kutithamangisa( Xenophobia attack). Yes for me, government must go ahead.

    3. Bingu was a different person than the current president he developed this country,he created jobs ,that one was much better than peter dont destroy our lake

  68. Even ndalamazo kuti ziyambe kupezeka palibe chomwe aMalawi atapeze chifukwa adzibanso ngati cashgate ija, and anthu akhala pamavuto chifukwa ndi ambiri omwe amapulumukila nyanjayo pomapha nsomba nakagulitsa and it’s everywhere in Malawi mukapeza somba .

  70. Blood money thats the beggining of tribal war in our peaceful country and that money only few rich pple r the ones that r goin to use while many will die poor nyasaland shame on U Mr fucken so called President. How mine hav u already mined in our country and where is all the mineral or the money that u made from those mines? Nonsese.

  84. kathane kaye ndi abale ako ku republic of thyolo & mulanje,you’ve done nothing to the northern region and now you want to take what we only have,shame on devil.

  87. tiyeni tivomeleze kuti dziko lathuli ndi losauka koma osati mpakana muphe nyanja yamalawi chifukwa cha ndalama ana tidzauza chani

  88. pitala ngati zakukanika ungowapatsa amay mpando Ukufuna tiiwale chambo ndi madzi abwino tilinawowa.mtsogoleri wanji Iwe? tatopa nawe

  91. Enanu mukuona ngat umphawi ungathe ndi oil drilling,sizingatpindulire kayerekera bwa?angotionongera nyanja amalawi tiziphuzira ndi kuzindikira mwachangu tiziona zamtsogolo sitingalemere angotibera bas tiyeni tilimbikire ntchito zina ena akulemera osat oil aaa zopusitsana tomwefe tidzaberana monga kayerekera to thyolo iya

  92. Koma anthu akunkhata-bay ndemumawawonereqa bwanji kungojambula nyanja basi nkhata bay kkkkk!! Which part of NB?

  93. Koma anthu akunkhata-bay ndemumawawonereqa bwanji kungojambula nyanja basi nkhata bay kkkkk!! Which part of NB?

  94. Koma anthu akunkhata-bay ndemumawawonereqa bwanji kungojambula nyanja basi nkhata bay kkkkk!! Which part of NB?

  95. Some people do think that drilling oil on lake Malawi is a good move,,what happened in Karonga,do you think people are around kayerekera Uranium mine are rich? i guess not,..This lake will be killed and left with nothing.Bonya yemweyu azidzachidwa import kuchoka ku Zambia…

    3. Have you aver traveled around the world all you are just talking us amalawian who was born and grow up in malawi?How many lakes do we have in the continet

    4. Go to botswana its mukawafunse kuti kodi madzi amawatenga kuti nanga munamvapo kuti kulibe madzi madzi mulunawo inde koma boma lanu ndilokanika mmadela ambili akumwa madzi amumjigo kodi nawonso azawonongeka ndimafuta

  98. genius people ur, more than ninty percent of malawians rely on fish. Mind u, money from oil shall follow the path of urenium…what aboit us…

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