Lake Tanganyika, one of the African Great Lakes, is the world’s longest freshwater lake, stretching over 670 kilometres across four countries: Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Zambia. It holds nearly 16% of the world’s available freshwater and is home to over 1,500 species, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth. The lake supports millions of people with water, food, and livelihoods.
However, this natural wonder is under growing threat. Pollution from urban centres, plastic waste, industrial discharge, and poor waste management jeopardises the lake’s integrity. The balance of this precious ecosystem is at risk, calling for immediate, collaborative, and systemic action.
From April 14–16, 2025, a strategic meeting on protecting the integrity of Lake Tanganyika was held at the Lake Tanganyika Hotel in Kigoma, organised by UN-Habitat and IOM under the United Nations Kigoma Joint Programme Phase II (UN KJP II). Nipe Fagio was represented by our Data Coordinator, Tajaeli Masaki, who joined regional experts and government representatives from Tanzania, Zambia, Burundi, and the DRC to align data, policy, and action in safeguarding the lake’s future.
Together, they worked on the PAMOJA program. The team focused on seven strategic areas: reviewing data verification and national waste policies; examining climate change implications; ensuring alignment with national visions and long-term development plans; proposing viable financing mechanisms; identifying key implementation challenges and actionable solutions; providing technical inputs; and revising the program budget accordingly. This holistic approach was essential in developing a realistic and sustainable plan of action for preserving Lake Tanganyika.
Presentations were delivered outlining the technical recommendations and strategic framework of the PAMOJA proposal, with special attention to data and evidence-based planning, aligned policies, and community-based action. These contributions aim to feed into a broader regional initiative to restore and protect Lake Tanganyika for future generations.
The group also visited the Msimba Sanitary Landfill to observe waste management practices firsthand. While the site represented progress in managing municipal waste, it also highlighted significant gaps in circular economy integration, especially in Kigoma Ujiji. During the visit, we emphasised the urgent need for an integrated waste management system that starts with upstream segregation. This would dramatically reduce the amount of waste reaching the landfill and create room for value recovery through reuse, recycling, and composting. Without strong upstream action, downstream systems will continue to buckle under pressure.
The UN Kigoma Joint Programme (UN KJP), now in its second phase, is a unique area-based initiative linking humanitarian response with long-term development. It was initially designed to improve human security in refugee-hosting districts of Kigoma but has evolved to cover broader sustainability themes. Through multi-agency coordination, including UN-Habitat, UNICEF, and WHO under the WASH theme, the program has strengthened local government capacity, expanded access to clean water, and promoted improved sanitation and hygiene in vulnerable communities. Lake Tanganyika remains a test of our collective resolve to transition toward systems that are inclusive, climate-resilient, and economically viable. Protecting this lake is not just an environmental obligation, it’s a regional responsibility and an opportunity for transformative change.
