KIGOMA: RISING water levels in Lake Tanganyika are severely disrupting operations at key ports in Kigoma, Kabwe and Kasanga, posing significant challenges to local economies and highlighting the urgent need for climate adaptation measures.
Tanzania relies on these ports for vital cross-border trade with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zambia and Burundi. However, the rising waters threaten to undermine their functionality.
The country has four major ports along the shore of Lake Tanganyika, with the port of Karema, the second biggest after Kigoma, being the only one not threatened by rising water levels.
The Deputy Minister for Transport, Mr David Kihenzile, acknowledged the challenges posed by rising water levels after visiting Kasanga Port on Tuesday, calling for urgent action to protect the country’s strategic ports along Lake Tanganyika.
“The government is planning a short-term solution to restore operations at the terminal, while the long-term solution involves raising the berth up by adding additional layers,” Mr Kihenzile said.
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The minister saw some of the structures such as newly refurbished 8.0 metres berth submerged into water due to rising level of water. The water started to go up since mid-March this year on Lake Tanganyika.
The minister further said the 5.5 metres berth at Kabwe port is also submerged in water. The government spent some 4.7bn/- and 7.49bn/- to refurbish Kasanga and Kabwe ports respectively. It also spent another 47.9bn/- for strategic Karema port, which has not been affected by raising water.
The port operations at Kasanga have been paralysed where ships and boats failed to dock at the berth while the architectural link between the berth and port facility has been cut off.
The major rehabilitation and expansion of Kasanga Port was completed in April 2020. The project also included the construction of a passenger lounge, a warehouse and residential housing for Tanzania Port Authority (TPA) staff.
The Acting Lake Tanganyika Ports Manager, Eng Abdallah Mohammed, told the Deputy Minister that the water levels are coming in fast threatening the two storage facilities and some of 450 tonnes of cement have been damaged by water at Kasanga port.
Kasanga Port for the past five years to November this year has handled 69,079 tonnes of cargo exported to Burundi, Zambia and DRC. Also 511,392 passengers were served and 1,185 ships and boats docked.
“The refurbishment of the port coincided with the construction of a major road connecting Kasanga and Sumbawanga town, which has increased traffic to the port,” Eng Mohamed said.
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The Acting Kasanga Port Officer, Humphrey Kachimile said that the port primarily handles 3,500 tonnes of cement monthly from Mbeya Cement for export to the DRC and Zambia.
Mbeya Cement is our biggest customer, regularly exporting cement to the DRC via this port,’ Mr Kachimile said, while showing a warehouse filled with a 450-tonne cement consignment. The Kasanga Port was constructed between 1995 and 1998 to primarily serving DRC, Zambia and Burundi.
