MINING IN EAST AFRICA

Mining is the extraction of natural resources from the earth’s crust for economic use.
Types of minerals
▪ Metallic minerals : These include iron ore, gold cobalt, copper, tin, wolfram, tungsten, zinc, manganese e.t.c

▪ Non-metallic
minerals: These include;
petroleum, phosphates,
soda ash, sand, clay,
Gypsum, mica, water, coal,
e.t.cFactors that have
favoured mining in East
Africa
• Presence of a variety of
mineral deposits which
are exploited for over 20
years e.g. limestone in
Tororo and Hima in
Kasese, Diamond in
Mwadui plug at Shinyanga
and Soda ash from Lake
Magadi.
• Availability of adequate
capital for investment in
mining operations mainly
provided by foreign
investors e.g. Tullow oil.
• Presence of abundant
skilled and unskilled
labour force for working
in the mineral processing
firms.
• Presence of ready
market which is both local
and international e.g.
Japan, China and USA.
• Availability of well
developed transport
facilities linking the
mineral zones to
processing plants e.g.
railways, roads e.t.c.
• Supportive government
policy to encourage
mining operations e.g.
through constructing
transport and communication lines.
• Availability of cheap hydro electric power and other energy sources like solar energy which is used for running
machines in the sector.
• Adequate supply of food from the neighboring communities to ensure continuity of the activity.
• Most minerals in East Africa are found near the surface hence making it easy and cheap to exploit.
• Improved/relative political stability which has attracted foreign investors to invest in mining operations.

Importance of mining
❖ Governments earn foreign exchange used for national development through exportation of minerals to other
countries.
❖ Governments earn revenue by taxing the workers within the mining sector used for development of
infrastructure e.g. roads.
❖ It has led to the development of urban centres e.g. Tororo, Kasese, Mombasa and Kakamega hence promoting
regional balance.
❖ Creation of employment opportunities for the people which boosts their standards of living e.g. engineers.
❖ It leads to development of infrastructures e.g. schools and hospitals which lead to urbanisation.
❖ Improvement of international relationship through trade which promotes world peace e.g. between Japan and
Uganda.
❖ Leads to diversification of the economy which increases government revenue and ensures constant capital
inflow.
❖ It leads to development of industries that process the minerals leading to economic diversification e.g. Tororo
cement industry.
❖ It leads to development of agriculture through provision of market for food from neighbouring communities
e.g. in Kasese.
❖ Roads and railway lines are constructed which lead to easy movement of goods and services.

Environmental problems due to mining

▪ It leads to soil erosion especially in highland areas where trees are cleared leading to soil infertility.
▪ Mining also leads to landslides in highland regions which destroy human property and life.
▪ It leads to air pollution during mineral processing especially limestone e.g. at Tororo.
▪ Leads to deforestation especially when trees are cut to expose the minerals.
▪ Open cast mining leaves behind large depressions/pits which in turn become mosquito breeding grounds.
▪ Mining also leads to water pollution which destroys habitats for aquatic animals e.g. copper pyrites are
deposited in the wetlands of Lake George and Lake Edward.
▪ Mining causes noise pollution because of the explosives used to break rocks e.g. stone quarrying in muyenga.
▪ Mining also leads to destruction of land which could have been used for agriculture e.g. by depositing rock
debris after rock blasts.
▪ Mining also leads to swamp reclamation hence destructing the water cycle e.g. quarrying of clay and sand.
▪ Mining also leads to silting of river valleys which causes floods.
▪ It leads to destruction of natural beauty by leaving behind large pits.
▪ It has led to loss of property through displacement of people near mining areas.
▪ Mining is risky it has involved suffocation of miners underground or burying them underground.
▪ It has led to neglect of agriculture which leads to outbreak of famine.
METHODS OF MINING
1. Opencast mining: This is the cheapest method. It is employed when the minerals occur close to the surface of
the earth. It involves removing off of the top soil layer lying over the mineral deposit and dumping it nearby. Opencast method is
used to mine surface minerals e.g. diamond, coal, iron ore, copper and quarrying of rocks such as limestone, gravel and
clay for brick making.
2. Underground mining: This is used when the mineral is deep underground. It involves sinking vertical shafts,
into the earth’s crust to reach the mineral ore.
There are four (4) major types of underground mining methods namely;
(a) Drift or Adit method: This involves digging horizontal tunnels along a hill to reach the mineral. It's the method which
was used to extract copper from Kilernbe mines in Uganda.
(b) Shaft method: This is used when the mineral occurs in very steeply inclined rocks. It involves sinking vertical
shafts. From the vertical shafts, horizontal tunnels are dug towards the direction of the minerals. Explosives are usually
used to blast the mineral bearing rock and then transported along the tunnel to the shaft by light railway or conveyor
belts. It is then brought to the surface in a type of lift called a Cage which moves up and down the shaft.
(c) Solution method: This is used for minerals which can dissolve in water e.g. salt, potash or sulphur. Pipes with
superheated steam or water are drilled down the mineral deposit. The mineral dissolves into the water and is then pumped
out to the surface. At the surface, the water is evaporated and the mineral extracted.
(d) Drilling method: This is used in the exploitation of petroleum and natural gas which are found in sedimentary
rocks. The deposits are reached by boring wells. The petroleum or gas is then brought to the surface either under its
own pressure or by pumping. It’s the method which is to be used to extract petroleum from Lake Albert basin in Uganda.
N.B. 1.Saucer placer mining method (alluvial mining) is used for minerals that occur in alluvial deposits such as gold,
and tin e.g. in Karamoja, Busia and Pokot in Kenya.
2. Dredging: This is a much more advanced form of placer mining. This is applied to mine soda ash (Trona) from
Lake Magadi in Kenya.

Major minerals in East Africa, mining method used and products from the minerals
Minerals. Country. Area mined. Mining methods. Products
Diamond Tanzania Mwadui plug Open cast Jewellery and strong drilling equipment
Copper Uganda Kilembe Open cast Electric cables, coins/tokens, jewellery

Kenya Macalda Adit

Gold Tanzania Musoma and Geita Open cast / Adit
Kenya Kakamega Open cast / Adit
Uganda Bushenyi and Saucer placer and Jewellery
Karamoja Open cast / Adit
Soda ash Kenya Lake Magadi Dredging Glass, soap, salt, aluminium, detergents
(Trona)
Uganda Hima and Tororo Open cast
Kenya Bamburi and River Open cast Cement and lime for building
Lime stone Athi
Tanzania Tanga and Wazo Open cast
hills
Salt Uganda Lake Katwe Open cast
Kenya Lake Magadi open cast Salt
Phosphate Uganda Tororo Open cast Fertilizers
Tanzania Manjingu hills Open cast
Flourspar Kenya Kakamega & Kerio Open cast Tooth paste, sulphuric acid, frying pans
valley
Oil Uganda Lake Albert Drilling Petroleum, diesel, kerosene/paraffin and
plastics
N.B. other minerals of importance in East Africa include;
i. Coal for making of tar and fuel.
ii. Iron ore for the manufacture of steel products e.g. iron bars, iron sheets and wire mesh.
iii. Cobalt from Kasese is used in manufacture of jet engines and high speed cutting tools.
iv. Mica from Machakos and Embu is used in manufacture of paints.
v. Gypsum from Garissa and Malindi is used in the manufacture of chalk and cement.

Problems facing the mining sector in East Africa

• Inadequate capital for the mining process which is very expensive.
• Minerals are non-renewable resources and will get exhausted with time e.g. copper was exhausted at Kilembe.
• Poor transport networks making mineral zones very difficult to reach.
• Political instabilities especially in Uganda e.g. ADF rebels who destabilized Kasese affected investment in copper mining.
• Some minerals are expensive to exploit because they are buried deep underground e.g. gold in Bushenyi.
• Shortage of skilled man power to undertake the mining activities leading to hiring of expatriates who are very expensive.
• Inadequate market for East Africa’s minerals because they are of poor quality.
• There is limited research and exploration to discover new mineral zones.
• Some minerals are available in very small quantities and therefore not economically viable e.g. gold in Karamoja.
• Most of the mining companies are owned by foreigners who normally take profits back to their home countries.
• When the minerals are exhausted, the towns which had developed turn into ghost cities with problems of unemployment e.g. Kilembe.
• Many of the towns e.g. Kakamega which grew up because of mining are faced with problems of congestion and crimes e.t.c.
Solution to the above problems
✓ Government should seek aid and grants from development countries to widen the capital base.
✓ Investments should be made in research and exploration to get new mineral zones.
✓ International advertisements should be done to widen market for local minerals.
✓ Government should improve transport facilities in the mining areas e.g. upgrading roads from murram to tarmac.
✓ Political instability should be encouraged to attract more foreign investors.
✓ The government should encourage on-site mineral processing to produce high quality products.
✓ New courses should be introduced at different learning institutions to produce enough skilled labour force.
✓ Diversification of the economy to reduce dependence on mining.
✓ Government should carry out market research to get new markets for East Africa’s minerals.

Copper mining at Kilembe

➢ Copper was the major mineral mined at Kilembe. It was found together with cobalt.
➢ Due to sharp decrease of world prices and decrease of copper deposits, the copper mine was closed down in 1975. ✓
➢ Copper was mined using the Adit method and taken to Jinja by railway for smelting. .
➢ From there, it was exported to many countries like Japan, Britain and France. ✓
➢ Electricity to process the copper was obtained from the Owen Falls Dam at Jinja and Mobuku power station on R. Mobuku. .
➢ Water used in the mines was chiefly obtained from River Nyamwanba and River Mobuku which originate from the Rwenzori Mountain. ✓
.
Benefits of copper mining to the economy of Uganda ✓
• It stimulated the growth and development of Kilembe and Kasese towns. . 5.
• The need to exploit copper from Kilembe led to the construction of Uganda railway which today promotes transport and trade.
• The copper mine employed over 5000 workers which improved their standards of living.
• A lot of foreign exchange was earned through its exports leading to national development.
• Facilitated the development of Mobuku power station which provided electricity to the mine and parts of Kilembe and Kasese town.
• Stimulated development of agriculture for example Mobuku irrigation scheme was established to supply foodstuff to miners.
• It stimulated the development of other activities in the area e.g. fishing on Lake George which diversified the economy.
• It promoted international relationships between Uganda and Japan which boosted peaceful co-existence.
N.B. Though there is no copper production at Kilembe at this moment, in 2000 the Kasese cobalt plant was opened. It's an investment owned by
Uganda, France and Australia exploiting cobalt which is got from copper pyrites at Kilembe.

DIAMOND MINING IN TANZANIA (MWADUI)

Diamonds are mined at Williamson Diamond mines at Mwadui located 27km from Shinyanga town.

Formation of diamond: The diamonds at Mwadui are found in a Kimberlite rock which was formed in an intrusive rock of Magma which solidified in a Vent or
pipe to form a volcanic plug. Later, this intrusion was exposed by erosion.

Mining of diamond: Opencast method is used because the mineral bearing rock is found just below the surface of the earth. Heavy excavators scrap off the
surface of the earth hence exposing the ore bearing rocks. These rocks are then loaded on to waiting trucks and then taken to the factory where the rocks
are crushed to small sizes.

Processing of diamond
• From the mining zone, the ore bearing rocks are taken by trucks to the crushing plant where the rocks are crushed to small sizes and
then poured on a conveyor belt which transports it to the treatment plant.
• At the treatment plant, the ore is passed through separators. The diamond and some other heavy substances because of being dense, sink to the
bottom while the remaining materials float as wastes.
• For further cleaning, the diamonds are further passed over belts covered with grease to which they stick. The wastes are removed electrically.
• The diamond is then cleaned to remove all the grease and it’s then ready for use e.g. making jewellery.

Factors favouring the development of diamond mining at Mwadui

➢ The diamonds are found near the earth surface hence cheap to exploit using open cast method.
➢ Diamonds at Mwadui are found in large deposits hence economic to mine.
➢ Mwadui diamonds are of high quality and on high demand on the international market.
➢ The landscape is generally flat hence easy to extract the minerals.
➢ Easy accessibility due to the presence of transport network by the railway and roads.
➢ Availability of adequate capital for investment provided by both the Williamson mining company and government.
➢ Nearness to agricultural land which provides foodstuffs to the workers.
➢ Availability of abundant skilled manpower both local and foreign expatriates to work in the mines.
➢ Presence of a variety of energy sources e.g. hydro electric power used in mining and processing minerals.
➢ Availability of modern technology used in the mining operations.
➢ Supportive government policy which encourages mining e.g. through investment and ma rket research.

Importance of diamond mining at Mwadui

✓ The mine provides employment opportunities to many people hence improving their standards of living.
✓ It has led to the development of Mwadui town with accommodation, recreational and commercial facilities.
✓ The mining company constructed a dam which provides electricity to Shinyanga district.
✓ Facilitated development of infrastructures like roads, schools and hospitals which provide social services.
✓ The mining company trains its own labourers in mining related activities hence leading to skills acquisition.
✓ The mining company established reliable water supply to Mwadui town and neighbouring areas.
✓ Government earns revenue through taxes used for national development e.g. building roads.
✓ Through exports, government earns foreign exchange used for national development e.g. building hospitals.
✓ Facilitated development of industries which have led to economic diversification.
✓ Agriculture has been developed in the area due to demand from the miners.
 FISHING IN EAST AFRICA
➢ Fishing is the extraction of aquatic life. It involves catching fish and other aquatic life like shrimps, lobsters and crabs e.t.c.

Fishing grounds in East Africa:

Fishing is carried out in fresh water and marine water bodies.
➢ Fresh water bodies include rivers, lakes, ponds and swamps.
➢ Marine fishing is done in salty water grounds like the Indian Ocean and the Mangrove swamps.
Types/species of fish caught in East Africa
❖ There are those that are found close to the surface (pelagic fish) of the lake or ocean. These include Tilapia, Nile perch, Dagaa,
Haplochromis in fresh water and Mackerel, Sardines, Anchovy in marine fisheries.
❖ There are those that are found deep in the water (demersal fish) or at the bottom (crustacean fish) e.g. shrimps, crabs and lobsters in marine
fisheries.

Fishing methods used in East Africa

These are either traditional or modern methods;
(1) Traditional Methods are mainly used for small scale fishing mainly for home consumption and a little surplus for sale e.g. Hooks, Basket traps,
Spears, use of arrows.

E.g. through the use of a basket trap, a fisherman gets into a boat/canoe that is stationed in the water. He uses a cone shaped basket which is placed
in swiftly moving water e.g. along rivers or streams. When the fish enters the basket, it’s trapped and then scooped out of the water into the boat.

(2) Modern Methods are mainly used for large scale or commercial fishing.

❖ Gill Netting: This is the most used method for commercial fishing in East Africa. It involves laying a net vertically in the water. The Net is
held vertically by floats on top and weights at the bottom.
The nets are left in the water for some time and when the fish try to swim through the net, they are caught by their gills and fins in the
net. The Net is then pulled out of the water.

Gill netting is commonly used on Lake Victoria to catch Tilapia. I t’s divided into two methods which are;
(a) Beach seining: this method involves nets being operated from the shore/beach. A fisherman in a
canoe/boat stretches the net into the water to encircle a shoal of fish near the shoreline. The nets
have weights at the bottom and floats on top to keep them vertical in the water. The fishermen pull
the net from both sides and the fish catch is poured at the beach. Used to catch tilapia, cat fish and
silver fish.

( i i ) D r i f t n e t t i n g : T his involves use of a much bigger net which is connected to a moving boat called a drifter. The net is held vertically in
water by floats on top and weights down. The fish try to swim through the net and are trapped by their gills as a motor boat slowly moves
the net. It is used to catch anchovy and sardines on the Indian Ocean.
❖ Purse seining net method: This involves the use of two boats called seine boats. The net is laid out in a circle to surround a shoal of
fish attracted by an echo sounder. At the bottom of the net there are rings attached through which the ropes pass. Once the net has been laid
in a circular pattern, the ropes are pulled so as to close the bottom of the net to make it bag-shaped to trap all the fish it has surrounded. The net
is then drawn into a boat and the fish is removed. It is used to catch sardines, anchovy, mackerel, tilapia and bagrus.

❖ Trawler method: This involves use of a trawl net dragged by a boat called a trawler. The net forms a wide cone shaped bag whose
mouth is kept open by wooden otter boards. The Trawl is pulled along the sea bed by a boat and fish is trapped inside the bag along its way. The net
is dragged in water with smooth sea beds. It's used to catch fish such as cod, sardines, mackerel and anchovy.

❖ Long Lining: In this method, a long rope which has floats and hundreds of baited hooks is set vertically in the water. The rope is pulled
by a boat and it’s sunk deep in rocky waters where the nets can be damaged. The fish is caught as it struggles to eat the bait on the hook. Fish
species caught with this method include Nile perch (fresh water) and cod (marine fisheries).
❖ Lampara method/ lamp attraction method: It is where bright lights (Lamps) are used to attract fish at dark nights and then trapped.
The lamp is held over a floating object e.g. a rock. Fish is attracted to the light and a scoop net is used to trap a shoal of fish. This method is used
to catch small fish like Dagaa from Lake Tanganyika, haplochromis from Lake Kyoga, Silver fish from Lake Victoria and sardines in the Indian Ocean.

❖ Lobster trap: This is a metallic cage put in water. Inside the cage, there is bait which attracts the fish. The fish enters the cage to eat
the bait and once it enters the cage, it can’t come out. The trapped fish is then removed from the cage by divers. Cages are used in rocky water
to trap sea animals that lie near the sea bed e.g. lobsters, oysters, shrimps and crabs.

Fish preservation methods used

in East Africa
Most fish caught is consumed when it is still fresh. However some preservation methods are employed that include:
➢ Simple/traditional methods for small scale like smoking (most common), sun drying (cheapest), salting, dip frying and cooking.
➢ Modern methods for large scale companies like refrigeration (icing) and fish canning/tinning.
In Uganda, such methods are applied by fish processing industries like Masese fisheries, Samaki fisheries, Ngege Uganda Ltd and Gomba
fisheries. Most of the fish processing industries are developed near Lake Victoria.

Marketing of fish in East Africa

Some fish is consumed locally but some is exported to Asian and European countries e.g. Japan, China, India, Germany, Britain, France,
Netherlands and Belgium.
Factors favouring development of the fishing industry in East Africa

Qn: Describe the factors favouring the development of the fishing industry in East Africa.

▪ Availability of numerous fishing grounds such as Lakes Victoria, Kyoga, Tanganyika and Indian Ocean where fish is caught.
▪ Availability of high value fish species such as Tilapia and Nile perch with high market demand.
▪ Introduction of better and effective fishing methods such as the use of gill nets.
▪ Introduction of better fishing vessels such motor boats fitted with engines which are used for fishing.
▪ Presence of abundant plankton (food for fish) which has led to fish multiplication in large numbers.
▪ Improved transport network linking fishing grounds to market centers.
▪ Availability of ready market for fish which is both local and international e.g. fish processing industries, local people and neighbouring
D.R.C.
▪ Indented nature of fishing grounds which are favourable for development of fish landing sites e.g. Kasenyi and Majanji on Lake Victoria.
▪ Introduction of fish corporations which teach better the fishermen new and modern fishing skills.
▪ Relative political stability especially along Lake Victoria which has attracted foreign investors e.g. Japanese and Indians.
▪ Availability of adequate capital for investment e.g. buying boats and engines.
▪ Supportive government policy which encourages investment in fishing activities e.g. through market research and road construction.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY TO EAST AFRICA

✓ Provision of employment opportunities to fishermen to earn incomes hence improving their standards of living.
✓ Source of food rich in proteins to the population hence improving their health standards.
✓ Source of foreign exchange through fish exports used for infrastructural development e.g. roads.
✓ Promotes economic diversification thereby increasing income flow and reduces dependence on agriculture.
✓ Facilitates development of fish processing industries which provide more jobs e.g. Masese and Gomba fisheries.
✓ Source of government revenue through taxation used for development of schools and hospitals.
✓ Stimulates development of other sectors like poultry through providing feeds e.g. silver fish (Mukene).
✓ Facilitates development of infrastructures such as roads, markets and training institutions which leads to provision of social services.
✓ Has facilitated growth of towns leading to regional balance e.g. Dar-es-salaam, Kisumu and Bukoba.
✓ Promotes tourism through game fishing e.g. at Malindi.

PROBLEMS FACING FISHING IN EAST AFRICA

➢ Limited capital to modernize the fishing industry.
➢ Most of the fishing grounds like Lake Albert and Turkana are in remote areas which are inaccessible.
➢ Limited market for fish due to low income or cultural norms e.g. among the Bahima.
➢ Limited fish species of commercial value which reduces international demand.
➢ Over fishing and indiscriminate fishing through use of beach seining method which leads to catching of young fish.
➢ Excessive high temperature creates preservation difficulties.
➢ Political instability especially in Uganda which has scared away foreign investors.
➢ Threat of crocodiles especially on Lake Kyoga which scare away fishermen.
➢ Poor transport network linking to fishing grounds which leads to delays in delivery.
➢ Water hyacinth especially on Lakes Victoria and Kyoga chokes/suffocates fish to death.
➢ Competition with other fish producing countries like Norway, Peru and Japan which leads to inadequate market.
➢ Un-desirable fishing methods like fish poisoning which causes health risks/hazards to the local people.
➢ Inter- territory conflict since some of the fishing grounds are found at borders e.g. Lake Albert, Lake Victoria, Tanganyika and Lake Malawi.
➢ Reduction of Tilapia due to presence of Nile perch which eats them away.
➢ Some fishing grounds are too deep and hence don’t favour fish multiplication.
➢ Water pollution by industries e.g. Nile breweries which causes death of the fish.
➢ Post fishing losses e.g. theft of their nets and fish catch.

STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO SOLVE PROBLEMS FACING FISHING

❖ Formation of ministry of fisheries to control fishing activities in the country.
❖ Formation of fishing cooperatives for advice, loans and easy marketing.
❖ Educating the public about the value of the fish as a source of proteins and vitamins to increase its market.
❖ Removal of the water hyacinth by using chemicals to provide enough oxygen for the fish.
❖ There is construction and rehabilitation of road networks linking to fish grounds to improve fish deliveries.
❖ Treatment of sewage and industrial wastes to reduce water pollution.
❖ Setting strict laws prohibiting illegal fishing methods like poisoning and indiscriminate nets to protect the young fish.
❖ Introduction of modern fish preservation methods like freezing and canning by extending power to rural areas.
❖ Regular police patrols to reduce theft on water bodies.
❖ Introduction of commercial and high value fish species e.g. Nile Perch which have large market.
❖ Increased importation of fishing facilities such as motor boats and motor engines to increase efficiency.
❖ Construction of on-site fish processing plants e.g. Masese in Jinja and at Ggaba near Kampala to prevent fish from going bad.
❖ Artificial rearing of fish in ponds to reduce depletion of some species e.g. at Kajjansi and Entebbe. Cage fishing has also b een
introduced on lakes.

Effects of fishing on the environment

➢ Smoking of fish and construction of boats requires timber which leads to deforestation.
➢ Fishing exposes fishermen to Tsetse flies and Bilharzia disease.
➢ Smoking of fish leads to atmospheric pollution which spreads human diseases like flue.
➢ Fishing leads to growth of towns which leads to high crime rates, unemployment and poor sanitation.
➢ Fishermen are exposed to dangerous water animals e.g. crocodiles on Lake Kyoga.
➢ Some fish which were introduced such as the Nile perch eat away other species like Tilapia.
➢ Poor fishing methods like use of poison may lead to health problems for humans.
➢ Processing industries that are constructed near water bodies have led to pollution due to dumping of wastes in the water bodies.

FISHING IN UGANDA
In Uganda, fishing is developed on Lakes, rivers and swamps. Lake Victoria is the most important fishing ground, followed by Lake Kyoga and
Albert, Edward and George. The most common fish caught are Tilapia, Nile perch and Haplochromis.

❖ FISHING ON LAKE VICTORIA: A number of fishing Villages / ports developed on the Lake including Gomba, Bukakata, Kasenyi,
Luzira, Kibanga, Kasensero, Majanji, and Masese. Major fish species caught include tilapia, Nile perch and silver fish.

❖ FISHING ON LAKE KYOGA: This is the second important fishing ground. It’s too shallow. Haplochromis, Tilapia and Nile perch are the
most common fish caught. Others are Mud fish and Cat fish e.t.c. The lake is characterized by floating Islands of water Hyacinth and a big number
of crocodiles which limit fishing. A number of fishing villages/ports developed including Lwampanga, Kachunga, Namasale and Nabyeso. Salting, smoking,
sun drying and freezing are used in preserving fish.

❖ FISHING ON LAKE ALBERT: This is the third most important fishing ground. Tilapia, Nile perch are the most important fish caught.
Fishing villages/ports on Lake Albert are:- Butiaba, Kasenyi, Wanseko, Biseruka, Buliisa, Buhuka, Ntoroko, Ndaiga and Panyimur. Salting and
smoking are mainly used to preserve fish.

❖ FISHING ON LAKES EDWARD AND GEORGE: Fish caught include, Tilapia, Clarias, Bagrus, protopterus e.t.c. The presence of salt from
Lake Katwe facilitates the use of salt to preserve fish though smoking is also applied. One of the problems facing fishing here is that
Lake Edward is too deep, the area is infested with Tsetse flies, remoteness, poor transport facilities and fish smuggling to Democratic
Republic of Congo. Major fishing ports are Katunguru and Rwenshama on Lake Edward and Magyo and Kasenyi on Lake George.

❖ Fishing is also carried out in swamps e.g. lung fish and mud fish got from swamps along rivers like Katonga and Kagera.

FISHING IN KENYA
❖ Fresh water fishing grounds in Kenya include; - Lake Victoria, Lake Baringo, Lake Turkana, River Athi(Galana) and Tana, fish ponds at
Nyanza, in the central and western provinces at Homa bay.

❖ Marine fishing grounds are centered only at the coast. These include: - Malindi fisheries, Lamu, Mombasa and the South Coast
fisheries. Today, Kenya is the leading exporter of fish products in East Africa. Such products include:- Fresh or Frozen fish, Fish meal, Fish oil, Canned
fish, Salted, smoked and dried fish.

❖ Some lakes in East Africa are too salty to contain fish. Such Lakes are barren, they include: - Magadi, Elmenteita and Natron e.t.c.

FISHING IN TANZANIA
❖ Fresh water (Inland fisheries) include: Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Rukwa and Rivers like Rufigi, Pangani, Malagarasi and
Ruvuma. Fish caught are Tilapia, and Nile perch from Lake Victoria. Others are Bagrus, Haplochromis. Bukoba, Mwanza and Musoma on Lake
Victoria are the major fishing ports.

❖ Lake Tanganyika is the second important fishing ground. Its popularly known for a small kind of fish called Dagaa which are
caught by use of bright lights at night (Lampara method). The fish are attracted to fish traps by artificial light and then scooped out. Other
fish caught are Bagrus and Clarias. Kigoma is the major fishing port along the lake.
❖ Marine fishing is confined to the coast along the Indian Ocean, Mangrove Swamps and river estuaries. A lot of marine creatures like
Shrimps, Oysters, Crabs, Lobsters, Sardines and Herrings are caught. However, Marine fishing is not fully developed due to inadequate
capital and poor fishing equipment. Important fishing ports along the coast are: Mtwara, Lindi, Tanga and Dar-es-salaam.

Uses of fish
• Provision of food rich in proteins to better people’s health.
• Fish bones can be used for making buttons.
• Used for making cosmetics and soap.
• Used for making animal feeds like chicken feeds.
• Fish fats can be used for making edible cooking oil.
• Fish bones and scales can be crushed to make fertilizers.
• Used in the making of drugs/medicine.
• Fish skin can be used as a leather material for making shoes, bags and belts.

Guiding question:
(a) Draw a sketch map of East Africa and on it, mark and name;
(i) Lakes; Victoria, Tanganyika and Turkana
(ii) Rivers; Nile, Kagera, Pangani, Tana and Rufigi
(iii) The Indian Ocean.

(b) Describe the factors favouring fishing in East Africa.

(c) Explain the problems facing the fishing industry in East Africa.
(d) Outline the possible remedies that have been taken to control the problems in (c) above.

TRANSPORT IN EAST AFRICA

❖ Transport is the movement of people and goods and services from one place to another.
❖ There are four types of transport systems in East Africa.
➢ Land transport where people use; roads, railways, human porterage & animals.
➢ Air transport
➢ Water transport
➢ Pipeline transport

1. RAILWAY TRANSPORT
▪ This is mainly developed for the purpose of transporting bulky commodities. In east Africa, there are 3 major railway lines;
i) Kenya-Uganda railway
ii) Tanzam-Tazara railway.
iii) Central Tanzania railway (Dar-es-salaam-Kigoma railway)

ADVANTAGES
✓ It’s cheaper compared to road transport.
✓ Cheapest means to transport bulky commodities over long distances.
✓ It’s not affected by traffic congestion.
✓ It’s very convenient since it has specific time schedules.

DISADVANTAGES
• It’s generally slow compared to air and road transport.
• Rails are expensive to build and maintain.
• It’s not flexible because it cannot be used where rails don`t exist.
• Rails are almost restricted to generally flat land surfaces.
ROLE OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT TO ECONOMIC DEVELPOMENT OF EAST AFRICA
❖ Promotes cross border trade between the East African countries hence increasing revenue.
❖ Promotes regional co-operation amongst the East African countries which promotes peace.
❖ Provides government with revenue through custom duties for national development.
❖ Provides employment opportunities e.g. engineers, police officials hence improved standards of living.
❖ Promotes industrial growth through the distribution of industrial goods to market centers.
❖ Promotes agriculture through linking farms to market centres.
❖ Open up remote areas for development leading to regional balance e.g. southern Tanzania.
❖ Facilitates movement of labour force through passenger transportation.
N.B. railway transport has greatly declined in Uganda due to vandalisation/theft of rails especially the route from Kampala to Kasese.

2. ROAD TRANSPORT
▪ It’s the most common means of transport.

ADVANTAGES
✓ It’s the most flexible means i.e. can connect to all areas and offers a wide range of alternatives e.g. bicycles, cars, Lorries e.t.c.
✓ It’s faster than railway transport.
✓ It’s the best to transport bulky commodities over short distances.
✓ Roads are cheaper to construct than airports and railways.

DISADVANTAGES
• Relief features like hills and swamps make road construction very difficult.
• Traffic congestion is very common on roads leading to delays.
• Accidents are more common on roads than any other means of transport leading to loss of lives.
• Poor road surfaces due to poor work man ship is the major problem faced by roads.
• The roads require constant maintenance which is expensive.
• It is affected by insecurity in terms of highway robbers leading to losses.
• Dry weather roads are affected by heavy rainfall making them impassable .

Role of road transport to economic development

❖ It has helped in development of fishing by linking landing sites to market centers.
❖ Promotes agriculture by linking rural areas to urban markets.
❖ Promotes cross border trade between the East African countries hence increasing revenue.
❖ Promotes regional co-operation amongst the East African countries which promotes peace.
❖ Provides government with revenue through custom duties, road licenses and driving permits for national development.
❖ Provides employment opportunities e.g. engineers, police officials hence improved standards of living.
❖ Promotes industrial growth through the distribution of industrial goods to market centers and transportation of raw materials.
❖ Promotes tourism by connecting to all tourist sites in the remote areas.
❖ Facilitates easy exchange of ideas necessary for national development.
❖ Helps to diversify the economy by promoting several activities e.g. lumbering and fishing which ensures high capital inflow.
❖ Promotes linear settlement pattern along roads which leads to urbanisation and its advantages e.g. setting up of schools.

3. AIR TRANSPORT
▪ Most important airports in East Africa are;
i) Entebbe international airport in Uganda.
ii) Jomo Kenyatta/Embakasi in Nairobi and Mombasa airport in Kenya.
iii) Dar-es-salaam, Arusha and Moshi in Tanzania.
N.B. Jomo Kenyatta/Embakasi airport in Nairobi is the most important and has got the most connections and busiest schedules in East Africa.
ADVANTAGES
✓ It’s the fastest over long distances especially across borders.
✓ It’s very comfortable and less tire some.
✓ It’s suitable for carrying high value commodities e.g. drugs, army weapons, computers and optical items e.g. watches.
✓ It’s the best for transporting perishable goods/commodities e.g. flowers, fish and vegetables.
✓ It’s not affected by traffic congestion.
✓ It’s always on strict time schedule hence reducing delays.
✓ Doesn’t require construction of the path ways/routes for aero planes.

DISADVANTAGES
• It’s the most expensive.
• In case of an accident, chances of survival are very minimal.
• It’s not flexible because it’s not readily available in all areas.
• It’s not effective in transporting bulky goods/ commodities.
• It’s affected by poor weather e.g. fog leading to accidents.

ROLE OF AIR TRANSPORT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

❖ It helps to promote tourism by transporting foreign tourists.
❖ It promotes international relationships which ensures world peace.
❖ It promotes international trade which increases government revenue for national development.
❖ Through international trade, it helps to promote agriculture which is the major activity in East Africa.

4. WATER TRANSPORT
▪ This is the cheapest means of transport. It takes place on inland lakes and rivers and on the Indian Ocean.
N.B: River Nile is not used for water transport in Uganda because it’s not navigable due to many waterfalls and rapids e.g. Bujagali, Owen falls,
Rippon falls and Karuma falls.
N.B: A number of ports have been developed on major water bodies to ease water transport e.g. of inland ports include;

a) Lake Victoria has got several ports which include: Musoma, Kisumu, Port bell (Luzira), Mwanza, Bukoba, Majanji and Kasensero.
b) Lake Albert has got: Butiaba, Wanseko, Buliisa, Ndaiga, Panyimur and Ntoroko.
c) Lake Edward has got Rwenshama.
d) Lake Kyoga has got Kachung, Lwampanga and Nabyeso.
e) Lake George has got Magyo.
f) Lake Tanganyika has got Kigoma.
g) Coastal Ports include: Mombasa, Dar-es-salaam, Tanga, Malindi, Lamu, Mtwara and Lindi.

ADVANTAGES OF WATER TRANSPORT

✓ It’s the cheapest.
✓ It’s not affected by traffic congestion.
✓ Water ways are naturally availed hence saving costs of construction.
✓ It can be used to transport bulky commodities e.g. timber.
✓ It connects distant areas e.g. islands.

DISADVANTAGES
• It’s only restricted to areas with only lakes and rivers i.e. not flexible.
• Accidents in water due to strong waves and poor visibility claim many lives.
• The water hyacinth and papyrus hinder navigation.
• Some rivers are seasonal and can’t be used during the dry period e.g. river Mayanja.
• Water transport is very slow compared to road transport.
• Many rivers are not navigable because of waterfalls and rapids e.g. river Nile.
Role of water transport in economic development
❖ Promotes fishing due to easy movement on water bodies.
❖ Promotes agriculture by linking agricultural islands to market areas e.g. Kalangala.
❖ Promotes lumbering by helping in the distribution of timber products.
❖ Promotes cross border trade between the East African countries hence increasing revenue.
❖ Promotes regional co-operation amongst the East African countries which promotes peace.
❖ Provides government with revenue through custom duties for national development.
❖ Provides employment opportunities e.g. engineers, patrol officials hence improved standards of living.
❖ Promotes industrial growth through the distribution of industrial goods to international market centers.
❖ Promotes tourism by connecting to all tourist sites in the island areas e.g. Kalangala.

5. PIPELINE TRANSPORT
▪ This involves the transportation of gases, water and oil using pipes. It is highly used in urban centres for transporting domestics and industrial
water through pipes e.g. water used in Kampala is mostly transported by pipelines from Ggaba on the shores of Lake Victoria.
▪ Pipelines are also used in transporting oil (petroleum) from Mombasa to Eldoret via Nairobi.
▪ Another pipeline was constructed from Dar-es-salaam to Kapiri-Mposhi in the Zambia copper belt to transport oil.

Advantages of pipeline transport

✓ It is a cheaper means of transporting liquids and gasses.
✓ It can be used to transport large volume of liquids and gasses at a single time.
✓ It is more reliable since it can even be used in politically unstable regions.
✓ It does not pollute the environment unlike roads and railways.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE DISTRIBUTION OF MAJOR TRANSPORT NETWORKS IN EAST AFRICA

➢ Government policy whereby it can be for political or economic reasons. Areas that are economically viable will encourage government
to construct roads and railways to exploit the resources.
➢ Regions with abundant economic potential e.g. mining centers tend to have more roads and railway lines compared to unproductive
areas.
➢ Areas which are urbanized and are densely populated always have more transport routes than sparsely populated areas.
➢ Climate whereby areas with heavy rainfall tend to have better roads since they are affected by floods than in areas with dry conditions.
However, areas which receive heavy rainfall will also make road construction very difficult due to soft ground.
➢ Relief whereby steep areas make road and railway construction very difficult compared to low lands and flat areas which make road
construction very easy.
➢ Drainage whereby areas with poor drainage e.g. swamps are avoided during road construction while well drained areas e.g. gentle slopes
make it easy for road and railway construction.
➢ Areas with dense vegetation cover e.g. tropical rain forests will discourage road and railway construction while areas with savannah
vegetation will attract road and railway construction. However government will always construct roads leading to forests so as to develop
lumbering activities.
➢ Areas with water bodies like lakes and rivers will discourage road construction but instead lead to development of water transport.
➢ Flat areas also attract construction of airports compared to hilly areas which discourage construction of airports and airfields.
➢ Areas with fertile soils will attract large population which leads to construction of roads and railways unlike areas with infertile soils.
➢ Areas with tourist attractions will attract roads and airfields to ease movement of tourists unlike areas without major tourist attractions.
➢ Availability of capital: where there is enough capital for construction of transport means, government will always develop them than
when there is inadequate capital for road construction.

Effects of transport on the environment

• Pollution from vehicles emitting fumes and oil spills from ships into water bodies.
• Smoke and smog have caused poor visibility.
• Creation of barren lands where rocks have been excavated e.g. along river channels.
• Increased temperatures/Global warming due to gas emissions.
• Loss of bio-diversity i.e. migration of water animals and bird species due to pollution.
• Destruction of forests and swamp reclamation to create land for roads and railways.
• Displacement of many people due to the need to expand roads and railway lines.
• Encroachment on land for other land uses like fishing, forestry and agriculture.
• Destruction of scenic beauty of landscape by removing vegetation and rocks.
• Land degradation e.g. through stone quarrying which leaves behind pits that are breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Problems facing the transport sector in East Africa
➢ Inadequate capital to establish and improve the transport and communication networks.
➢ Inadequate skilled manpower to help in the construction of transport and communication networks.
➢ Low levels of technology used to construct transport and communication lines.
➢ Steep relief in mountainous regions which makes it expensive to construct roads and railways.
➢ Physical barriers e.g. rivers, forests and deserts make the construction of transport lines very difficult.
➢ Harsh climatic conditions e.g. heavy rains lead to floods hence making roads impassable while mist and fog hinder air and water
transport.
➢ Political instability e.g. wars make road construction very difficult and also during the wars, roads and railway lines are destroyed.
➢ Corruption and embezzlement of funds by ministry of transport and communication officials hence leading to poor roads.
➢ Poor government policies whereby roads, waterways and airfields are only constructed in areas where prominent politicians come from
and other areas are neglected.
➢ Differences in political ideology whereby countries impose strict restrictions and deny easy access to sea ports by land locked countries
e.g. Uganda.
➢ Areas with clay soils have made road construction very difficult and expensive.
➢ It’s very expensive to compensate people incase their land is to be taken by government to expand existing roads.

Solutions to the above problems

❖ Securing loans and grants from World Bank and developed countries to provide more capital for investment in transport development.
❖ Hiring expatriates who can construct modern and better roads and railways.
❖ Encourage training of local personnel to ensure enough skilled labour.
❖ Importation of modern tools and technology for constructing of modern roads and railways.
❖ Construction of tunnels and use of cable cars to be used in areas with steep relief.
❖ Flushing out rebels and strengthening security to create peace which attracts investment in the transport sector.
❖ Fighting corruption by strengthening government organs e.g. police, parliament and Inspector General of Government (I.G.G).
❖ Ensuring balanced regional development and encourage equal resource exploitation for national development.
❖ Formation of regional blocks e.g. East African Community (E.A.C) to remove borders restrictions.