The Parliamentary Committee for Lands, Natural Resources and Tourism has directed the Tanzania National Parks Authority (Tanapa) to work closely with relevant government organs in developing strategies that will help rescue Lake Manyara from drying up.
The lake, which is a key tourist attraction in the Lake Manyara National Park, is drying up due to an excessive accumulation of sand, which is threatening its existence and that of wildlife that depend on the water body.
Lands, Natural Resources and Tourism Parliamentary Committee Chairman, Kemilembe Lwota, said human activity was partly responsible. "Although it is true that we also have the challenge of climate change, we must take the action we can. We need to ask ourselves how we should order our priorities when it comes to human economic activities like tourism and agriculture.”
Lake Manyara National Park’s Chief Conservationist, Noelia Myonga, said initiatives to protect Lake Manyara National Park required participation of various stakeholders, including both the government and the public.
Tanapa Director General, Allan Kijazi, said the authority had received directives and advice issued by the Parliamentary Committee, noting that it would involve stakeholders to find a permanent solution to the Lake Manyara crisis to protect the tourist attraction.
