A political scientist has advised Malawi and Tanzania to consult the agreement made by colonialists of the two countries in order to resolve the Lake Malawi wrangle which has been there for a long time.
This is coming after President Peter Mutharika said on Wednesday that the whole of Lake Malawi belongs to Malawi.
Besides that, President John Magufuli of Tanzania has been saying that part of Lake Malawi belongs to Tanzania.
Speaking to Malawi24, one of the political scientists in the country Wonderful Mkhutche said the lake wrangle between Malawi and Tanzania is not new but there is need to consult the colonialists of the two countries.
“The best in this situation is to consult the agreement made by colonialists of the two countries, Britain and Germany,” said Mkhutche.
He added that apart from consulting the colonialists of the two countries, present international agreements on water bodies can also help to end the wrangle.
Mkhutche further said that the possibility of finding oil and gas on the lake is perpetrating the wrangle.
“Presently, the lake dispute is healthy. But the lake has resources like fish and petroleum. These have the potential of escalating the issue,” he said.
According to Mkhutche, letting the dispute continue will become unhealthy for the two countries when one thinks of the developmental relationship they have had.
The political scientist said the public statements that have been there between the two governments on the lake have been worrisome since there is much to lose than gain should the conflict reach the point of an armed conflict.
He added that people want to see this issue being handled maturely but in politics there is a saying that ‘democracies do not fight’ and Malawi and Tanzania are democracies hence it will be unlikely for them to fight.
Sananena kale …last days maiko kuukilana
I do not believe my Great Grand Father ( even thou he paid so little for your land ) ever wanted you to come to ‘Blow’s’ over the body of water between you, it should not be seen as something that divide’s or separate’s you , but as he did with the will and hard work brings you together . Wish you all well , And hope to visit one day soon ,
Yes indeed the agreements can help but it seems we don’t have them. Do we? Like the Ngonis of Mzimba who claim not to have been colonized through an agreement which they are failing to produce except inferring to the meeting discussions between Alfred Sharpe and embattled Ngonis at Ekwendeni. Kkkkkkkk.
Lets have the signed docs and even show them to Malawians for them to start believing us and reinforcing the spirit that indeed the Lake is ours otherwise we seem to have been making empty noises like the Ngonis of Mzimba.
Lake Malawi will only settled by legal angles. All noice,discussions,politics is useless
I do not believe that my Great Grand Father Eugen Scharra (Eugene Albert Ccarles SHARRER ) even thou he paid very little for your land (Stoll it) ? Ever wanted you to come to ‘Blow’s’ over the body of water between you, As he did you should not look at the lake as something that divides and separates you, but as he did that with some hard work and only a small lump of wood (BOAT) it should bring you together , Wish you well ,and hope to visit soon., ERNIE.