The Lake Victoria Basin Water Board (LVBWB) has called for stronger collaboration among countries and stakeholders to protect the Kagera River Basin, warning that environmental degradation could undermine the sustainability of the Rusumo Hydropower Project.
LVBWB Director Dr Renatus Shinhu made the call on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, while opening a two-day stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a conservation programme for the Kagera River Basin in Mwanza.
The Rusumo Hydropower Project generates 80 megawatts of electricity, supplying Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
Dr Shinhu said the condition of the Kagera Basin was directly linked to the sustainability of the hydropower project, noting that soil erosion, deforestation, water pollution and the spread of aquatic weeds were increasingly threatening the basin.
“These challenges cannot be addressed by one institution or one country alone. We need governments, communities, experts, development partners and other stakeholders to work together,” Dr Shinhu said.
He said environmental degradation could affect water quality and the basin’s ability to retain water, with potential consequences for hydropower generation.
The director said the conservation programme being developed through the workshop should provide a coordinated framework for restoring degraded areas and protecting water resources across the basin.
He commended the cooperation between LVBWB, Rusumo Power Company Limited (RPCL) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), saying the partnership had already produced several interventions.
These include marking the 60-metre river reserve, installing conservation awareness signs and planting indigenous trees along the Ruvuvu and Akagera rivers in Ngara District.
The workshop, which runs from August 18 to 19, brings together stakeholders to develop an evidence-based conservation programme that promotes cross-border cooperation and greater community participation.
The initiative is expected to strengthen efforts to protect and restore the Kagera River Basin while ensuring that its environmental and economic benefits are sustained for current and future generations.
Dr Shinhu also thanked RPCL for its continued financial support for conservation activities and IUCN for providing technical expertise in the preparation of the programme.
