Edward Selasini
19 October 2008
Arusha — Lake Kalemawe, one of the man-made Lakes in Kilimanjaro region is disappearing due to environmental destructions by the villagers living along the lake shore.
Kalemawe Dam/lake was constructed in 1956 by the British Colonial Government to support agricultural activities of the Pare pastoralists who were evicted from the Mkomazi Game Reserve in 1951 after it was gazzetted.
The lake's waters have now shrunk to nearly half of the original size, ruining the livelihoods of many farmers and fishermen, according to a local official and residents.
Lake Kalemale is located in Same district at Kalemale village and administered under Ndungu Ward and Division. Kalemale village is an arid area situated along the Same-Gonja-Mnazi road and is on the doorstep of Mkomazi Game Reserve
Lake Kalemawe, is facing a number of environmental and management problems which if not addressed, might lead to the disappearance of the lake. According to Ward officials, these problems include siltation because of soils from the Lushoto and Pare Mountains, soil erosion; recurring droughts leading to shrinking fishery, deforestation, reduced lake run off and overgrazing.
Other problems include trans-boundary resource management issues as well as limited income generating activities among the communities as well as attitudinal change issues on suitable crops to grow in their area.
Man-made lakes are water impoundments or water accumulated in reservoirs that do not occur naturally in the landscape.
The Kalemawe lake is approximately 10 km from Karamba village in the same Same district. It attracts fishermen and women fish-traders to the neighboring villages and this influx of people has had a negative impact on the local vegetation.
Fish curing, food vending and construction of temporary shelters around the lake have consumed much of the trees and other vegetation in the area. As a result there has been an increase in silting of the lake.
In turn, this has had a negative impact on irrigation activities, crop production and food security. Income and protein intake has also been affected by frequent closure of the lake due to low water levels and low fish numbers.
Villagers reported that there have been no efforts to de-silt the lake. Closure of the lake without de-silting measures or the promotion of soil conservation around the lake and on the slopes of South Pare mountains is not likely be a sustainable solution for poverty alleviation and food insecurity.
The special seat Ward councilor for Ndungu ward, Veronicah Mboga told this reporter that they are trying to fight some of the problems that her villagers are facing like planting more trees around the Kalemawe Dam.
She added that though tree nurseries in her ward are very few due to drought in the area she would make sure that they would bring tree seedling from neighbouring regions of Arusha and Tanga.
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