No war with Tanzania over Lake Malawi, says Mutharika: Maintains border issue ‘non-negotiable’
President Peter Mutharika Tuesday categorically ruled out Malawi going to war with neighbouring Tanzania over the disputed border over Lake Malawi but insisted the issue of the lake, Africa’s third largest fresh-water lake, is non-negotiable.
Mutharika made the remarks Tuesday in Lilongwe when he addressed a news conference two days after his return from Washington where he attended the US-African leaders’ summit.
“Yes, I did say that lake is not negotiable. I never said that I was going to go to war,” he said.
The Malawi leader described himself as a “very peaceful person” saying “ I don’t fight unless someone attacks me.”
But Mutharika, while insisted the entire lake belongs to Malawi.
“We are not going to go to war but the lake has been ours for 104 years; the law is very clear, I think there is very little room for negotiations on the issue of the lake, but I think we will find a way to settle this out with Tanzania,” he said.
Mutharika said during the meeting with Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete on the side line of some events in Washington they only discussed matters bordering on fishing in Lake Malawi by citizens of both countries.
He his government will review what the Joyce Banda government had presented to the Sadc former leaders and map out the way forward.
e will let the channel of discussion that was established between the two countries to continue while we are reviewing how far the discussions had reached.”
