Local News

Environment: All is not well - Kikwete

PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete

PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete pleaded with Tanzanians on Tuesday to participate vigorously in activities aimed at conserving the environment.

He said that at the moment there is an alarming rate of tree harvesting and depletion of the natural vegetation.

Addressing a rally at Heroes Ground here, the president, who was a chief guest at the climax of the International Environment Day, said that all was not well as far as the environment was concerned.

He called for concerted efforts to protect water sources, river banks and forests from environmental degradation. He asked development partners to support Tanzanians in their efforts to save the country from turning into desert.

"If we don't take remedial measures to conserve the environment, our lives and welfare will be in danger," he told the audience, adding that as far as the degraded environment was concerned, "we are our worst enemies and God is not to blame for this."

President Kikwete said that snow melting from high mountains such as Kilimanjaro, global warming and unreliable weather patterns are evidence of environmental degradation. He called on all stakeholders to help restore natural vegetation cover.

Earlier, President Kikwete awarded 44m/- to eight winners of the Presidential Award for conservation of water sources and tree planting. The overall winner was Kameyu Secondary School which is located at Babati in Manyara region.

In his welcoming remarks earlier on, the Regional Commissioner for Kilimanjaro, Mr Leonidas Gama, informed the President that so far some 5.8 million tree seedlings have been planted. The target stands at eight million seedlings.

He said that the region has set a target of planting 15 million seedlings every year to restore vegetation cover.