We inherited controversial map from colonial masters, Tanzania claims

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Lake Malawi

The Tanzanian government has claimed that the new map showing their ownership of part of Lake Malawi was inherited from its colonial master, Germany.

Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Dr Augustine Mahinga made the claims after meeting President Peter Mutharika on Monday at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.

Mahinga explained that the new map showing that the Eastern African country owns a disputed part of Lake Malawi was adopted from their colonial master.

“This is a sensitive and contentious matter that needs clarification the map has been there from our colonial masters,” said Mahinga.

Mutharika, Magufuli
Mutharika, Magufuli banging heads.

Despite the lake wrangles Mahinga claimed that the two countries continue enjoying a relationship that is propelling development activities.

He further called for the need to strengthen airline transport between Malawi and Tanzania to boost the business sector for the two countries.

Malawi and Tanzania resumed having gentleman’s talk over the lake issue after Mutharika met with his Tanzanian counterpart President John Magufuli in Ethiopia over a week ago.

This followed the collapse of mediation talks on the lake border wrangle between Malawi and Tanzania as mediators are yet to invite the two governments for another round of talks.

Former president of Mozambique, Joacquim Chissano, and his South African counterpart, Thabo Mbeki, are the mediators.

The Lake Malawi wrangle started in the 1960s but the current dispute began after Malawi awarded licences to various firms to search for oil and gas on the lake.

Tanzania claims to own part of the lake while Malawi insists that it will never agree to Tanzania’s claims.