The District Commissioner of Morogoro, Mussa Kilakala, has officially prohibited residents from conducting any human activities or making investments in water sources across the district, clarifying that the government will not compensate individuals who violate this rule.
Speaking at a meeting for stakeholders of the Ruvu Catchment Forum in Morogoro, DC Kilakala emphasized the importance of protecting these water sources for the benefit of people, livestock, and plants.
He called on all stakeholders to actively participate in conservation efforts alongside the Wami Ruvu Basin Authority.
Kilakala highlighted that water resources are a shared responsibility, not only for the government or basin authorities but for all Tanzanians.
He urged Morogoro residents to work together with authorities to manage and conserve water sources, particularly in the Ruvu catchment area, to ensure water availability for future generations.
“Our water sources in Morogoro, and those managed by the Wami Ruvu Basin beyond the district, are crucial for our communities. Protecting these resources is a responsibility that requires us all to take action,” he said.
Morogoro, known for its numerous water sources feeding the Ruvu River, supplies essential water to residents in Morogoro, Coast, and Dar es Salaam. For long-term sustainability, Kilakala called for stakeholders to join forces in safeguarding these resources.
Additionally, he addressed harmful practices on the Uluguru Mountains, where residents often use fire to clear land for agriculture or charcoal production, which has led to significant environmental degradation.
Kilakala urged the community to abandon these practices and join the government’s conservation efforts.
Commending the Wami Ruvu Basin’s tree-planting initiatives, which include fruit and clove trees around water sources, Kilakala praised these efforts as they foster community involvement and provide economic incentives for conservation.
Kilakala also noted that the government has allocated TZS 2.5 billion to construct livestock watering stations in the Morogoro and Coast regions.
The initiative aims to prevent conflicts caused by livestock encroaching on water sources and damaging essential water infrastructure.
He encouraged livestock leaders to educate herders on reducing herd sizes to preserve pasture areas and ensure sustainable water access for livestock.
Failure to protect these water sources, Kilakala warned, could lead to desertification in the future. He highlighted the importance of the ongoing Kidunda Dam project, which, once completed, will address water shortages in the Morogoro, Coast, and Dar es Salaam regions.
He also stressed the need to educate small-scale miners on environmental protection, as some licenses are granted without adequate assessment of nearby water sources.
Engineer Elibariki Mmassy, Director of the Wami/Ruvu Water Basin Board, explained that boundaries have been established along the Ruvu River to prevent harmful human activities that could lead to water contamination.
He reported that Morogoro District alone has over 20,000 livestock, with about 10,000 to 15,000 in the Mlandizi-Bagamoyo area in the Coast region. Continuous livestock movement has resulted in soil erosion, causing sediment to flow into the river, which contributes to flooding during the rainy season.
“To address this, we’ve installed a solar-powered borehole to supply water for livestock, and we’ve planted trees in the Uluguru Mountains to restore vegetation. The community benefits economically through crops like cloves and avocados,” said Mmassy.
The Wami Ruvu Basin has also allocated approximately TZS 2 billion to develop a water supply project in Dakawa and Mngazi. Communities are reminded to secure necessary permits when drilling wells to access groundwater resources.
Pamella Temu, Acting Director of Water Resources at the Ministry of Water, emphasized the legal framework guiding stakeholder participation in water resource management.
She affirmed that laws and regulations require the involvement of all stakeholders in planning and decision-making processes related to water distribution.
The meeting also included participants from Chalinze, Kisarawe, Bagamoyo, and Morogoro, who are set to elect new forum leaders to serve a three-year term.