As the fight over Lake Malawi between Lilongwe and Dar es Salaam rages on, one of the country’s law experts Edge Kanyongolo has advised Malawian authorities to stay put and not to be moved by the new map being promoted by Tanzania, which shows the north-east part of the lake as belonging to her territory.
Kanyongolo’s remarks come at a time when President Peter Mutharika is scheduled to meet his Tanzanian counterpart, John Magufuli, at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) currently underway in New York where among other things they are expected to discuss the border dispute.
Speaking in a telephone interview the Zomba based Chancellor College Law Lecture, said the new map is illegal and Malawi should not be bothered by it.
Said Kanyongolo: “With regard to the map, I think the (new) map can be ignored, because just a map has no legal significance. You cannot change the boundaries of a country or indeed of a garden in your house by simply saying I have a new map.”
The law expert further said, as a country, Malawi should not be stressed up with an issue that has no legal consequence.
“Malawi should disregard what Tanzania is saying because it has no legal consequence, meaning that it has no impact at all. Drawing of a map has nothing and I think as a country we are getting a little too paranoid about it. If somebody draws a map which has no legal significance you basically just ignore it,” Kanyongolo said.
Tanzania has of late taken interest in the lake after oil was discovered near its shores.
Soon after the new map was released, the government of Malawi issued an alert to all government ministries, departments and agencies to reject it (new map) and be on the lookout.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Francis Kasaila recently told the local media that Malawi had asked Tanzanian authorities to facilitate the meeting of President Peter Mutharika and President John Magufuli at the UNGA to discuss the issue that has disrupted the good relationship between the two nations.
However, Kanyongolo said he sees no need for the two heads of states to meet over this saying it is a straightforward legal issue.
“This is a legal issue and I think if ultimately it is going to be resolved that is the route through which it will be resolved not through the drawing of map or not even through presidents having a chat in the corridors of the United Nations,” he said.
Kanyongolo therefore advised the president and the citizenry to reject the new map and move forward.
The lake dispute dates back to the colonial era where it was ruled that the whole lake belongs to Malawi.
It only resurfaced in 2011 after revelations that the lake has crude oil under it.
In 2012, former presidents from the Southern African region led by former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano were tasked to mediate over the issue after the two disputing sides failed to reach an agreement.
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Eeeee akhala akupha anthu kudzala nyama forest cos chifukwa cha nkhuni lero mukulephera kulimbana ndi ma Arabs I hate these guyz amene amaziona ngati ndiotsogola ndi lamulo nonsense ine ndimayamika G4 ndi imene imateteza
Kukhala ndichimunda chachikulu sikudziwa kukolola koma kudziwa kasamalidwe kambewu or Tanzania itakhala ndizida zotani sikuti ingawine cos iri ndi zida zochuruka, asirikali athu ali busy kumaturutsa ma album anyimbo, kumenya nzika zawo ku mpira ndikumowa nyota mbwee akatero agwira ntchito lero ndi izi akukanika kulimbana ndi ma swahill
Next will be Mozambique kkkkkkk dey will also call it Lake Mozambique.
Bola akanati akukanganilana #Chimanga_kapena_Magets bwezi mtalowelera koma nyanja? Ndimulekere nzanga msozi zimenezo olo ndimafira chambo, kikikikikikiki!
tanzania is makin awareness campaign kut anthu awo aziziwa kut part of lake malawi is their while we Malawian,we r doin notyn zomwe ndikumva ndisavomeleze ndi pakamwa pomwe azanthu akupanga action,kod zanthu zikhale zongokambilana pa fb?Nyanja ikupita
we are vry close to the boarder if anything will happen then we will be the first GUYS to suffer most. Kodi zamafutazo anaziyamba ndani? and one thing the gvt of tz is suppose to know is that why the lake is called lake malawi or lake nyasa but not lake tanzania? kususuka basi ife zokangana NJE!!!
ok give and take as it was in 1890 you want lake good we want our mbeya all the Tanzanians in the area around mbeya move out you have part of the beautiful lake where you will stay the land belongs to MALAWI
Akutishoshaaaa!!
Good ideas guys,but I think international court can justify this lake conflicts. Pachilungamo tisashoshe nkhondo dala cause sitingaimalize,tili Pataki kwa azathuwa
Tanzania is being a greedy bully here obviously. They know they have support of SADC strongest revolutionary parties Frelimo in Moza, ANC, Zanu PF, BDF, /Malawi won’t risk a war that might close the northern corridor to the port of Dar where we get our imports thru. A war with Tanzania has got more economic harm on us than them. Anywhere else there is no discussion over territorial invasion- it’s war. Reason should prevail unless TZ attacks us militarily then we will have to defend ourselves.
Ine ndinabadwila kumalawi ndakulila kumalawi nkalelo lonse sindinkava za nyanja yamalawi kuti.ndi yatanzaniya oka asena anzathu zang’onang’onazi mumazisata eti ndiphuziseni nkasanduka ndikadye asilikali akutanzaniyawo mwachisisi basi