The Water Code N°1/02 of 26 March 2012 on Public Hydraulic Domain, Article 5. 3, bans any building at the lakeside or shore. There must be a precise distance between any building and Lake Tanganyika (150m), and other lakes of the country (50m) and Lake Tanganyika tributary rivers (25m). The code violation is boldly noticed at Ntahangwa in Buyenzi Commune where an unidentified person has built in the River.
<doc7717|left>“We have had information telling us that someone is building inside Ntahangwa River and we have gone to the place. Unfortunately, we couldn’t meet the owner” says Emmanuel Ndorimana, Managing Director of Water Resources and Sanitation.
According to him, he has violated the Code because he has built in Ntahangwa River without permission.
“He will be punished according to the law; but people who have built without respecting this code before its promulgation are not concerned because the law is effective since its ratification” highlights Ndorimana.
Surprisingly enough, the owner has already installed pipes that lead wastewater to the river, this is another violation !
“He has violated Article 52, which does not allow any person to throw any kind of waste or dirt in public places for the protection of the environment” points out Ndorimana. The Managing Director indicates that they are looking for him in order to arrest his activities.
The view is shared by Ambassador Albert Mbonerane, the Chairman of ACVE (Action Ceinture Verte) who is a fervent environmental protectionist.
According to him, any person is not allowed to use any public hydraulic domain without being authorized by the Ministry in Charge of Water and Environment.
“Building in the River, he has clearly violated article 5 of water code and articles 52 and 56 of environment code. He has tried to protect his plot, then causing threatening erosion at the other side of the river” regrets Mbonerane.
Burundi is behind other EAC partner states
Christophe Gahungu, the Adviser of the Managing Director of Water Resources and Sanitation, states that EAC has a project of harmonizing environmental and hydraulic management policy.
The recent Water Code in Burundi has some articles from Kenya and Rwanda’s environment code because the hydraulic domain is respected very much in both countries.
“Burundi is far behind other EAC partner states if we analyze the way Rwandans respect the code near Lake Cohoha we share. They have got a good habit of protecting the environment. Furthermore, Lake Victoria shared by Tanzania and Uganda is well- protected because both countries obey environment protection very strictly. In those countries, severe sanctions are applied to any person who violates the law” explains Gahungu.
“We realize that Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) and Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA) respectively in Rwanda and Kenya are very strong. In Kenya for example, any activity affecting water should be authorized, while in Rwanda people have understood that it is their must to protect the environment” points out Mbonerane.
“What happens in Burundi is caused by impunity and lack of responsibility. I think that the Buyenzi Administrator and his Assistants know that case but do not react. If the government establishes a law, it shouldn’t be hidden in the drawers, it ought to be strictly respected and applied to everybody” he regrets.
Changes are needed in Burundi
Mbonerane calls upon all authorities to punish severely any person who violates the law because according to him nobody is outside the law.
“I suggest to the Minister in Charge of Water to arrest any activity of building in the river and destroy what has already been built,” he insists.
“I invite all Burundians to respect the law in general, and in particular, the youth to stand up for the protection of the environment, and ensure a long- lasting natural resources management in order to guarantee a good future for the new generation,” concludes Mbonerane.
