PAC tells JB not to negotiate with Tanzania on Lake claim

Representatives of the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) have advised President Joyce Banda and her government to take a tough stand on Tanzania’s claim that part of Lake Malawi belongs to it.

PAC’s spokesperson Maurice Munthali told the media that Malawi is the rightful owner of the lake, according to the signatory of the water, hence no need for negotiations about the issue.

“Malawians believe the lake is ours and Tanzania has just to be told the that the lake is ours. We are not showing that we should go into war but I think Tanzania has to be told the truth, and there are no negotiations about it,” said Munthali.

According to Munthali, their argument above “does not disregard the international law where the waters have to be shared somehow, but that can be another agreement altogether. But as to ownership of that signatory to the water, Malawi owns it. Tanzania has to be told that we have documentary evidence that the lake belongs to us -no negotiations about it.”

The declaration from PAC comes after an international dialogue and mediation practitioner also advised the authorities to engage more local stakeholders in resolving the matter.

President Banda has announced that the government will only take its stand on the issue after critically analyzing the response from their counterparts.

Lilongwe informed Dodoma that it will not continue with the discussions until there was an explanation on the new map that Dodoma has drawn as well as stop the harassment of some Malawian fishermen.

The authorities have sought the intervention of the United Nations, the International Court of Justice and it is also considering hiring UK lawyers to help the country find a solution to the claim.