Mutharika and Magufuli to meet over Lake row

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Mutharika, Magufuli

Malawi’s lake wrangle with neighbouring country Tanzania will not end soon as the High Level Mediation Team on the issue has proposed that heads of the two countries are to give guidance on the resolutions made in Pretoria, South Africa.

The development follows mediation talks that Malawi had with Tanzania on the lake issue as the two differ on ownership; Tanzania claims that part of Lake Malawi belongs to it while Malawi says it owns the whole lake.

Mutharika, Magufuli
Mutharika and Magufuli will meet over the row.

The mediation team led by former Mozambican head of state Joaquim Chissano has suggested to have the two presidents being briefed before a verdict is made.

Spokesperson for Malawi’s ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation Rejoice Shumba said the resolutions are to be tabled before presidents Peter Mutharika and John Magufuli.

“Having heard from both delegates, High Level Mediation Team has proposed to brief and consult the two excellences for the two countries that is Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and Dr John Pombe Magufuli on further guidance on the resolutions since the two countries are eager to hear to the end,” said Shumba in a statement.

The consultations are expected to be done within a period of three months before a verdict is known on the matter.

Malawi has been claiming that Tanzania has no right to claim ownership as the 1890 Anglo-German treaty gave full ownership to Nyasaland before the name was changed to Malawi.

The Malawi delegates to the talks led by minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation Francis Kasaila urged Tanzania to restrain from provocative actions like production of new maps that show that the Eastern African country owns part of the lake.

President Mutharika is on record to have assured that Malawi will not give up any part of the lake to Tanzania arguing Malawians own the whole lake.