By CHATULA KANGALI –
GOVERNMENT and stakeholders have been urged to explore the tourism potential on Lake Tanganyika in Mpulungu District to positively contribute to the growth of the sector.
Mpulungu Habour Authority (MHA) manager, Dennis Kaluba said there was need for all stakeholders to explore the tourism potential on Lake Tanganyika, the longest fresh water Lake in the world and surrounds Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Mr Kaluba said if explored, Lake Tanganyika could contribute to the growth  of the tourism sector in Zambia as it had more than 350 species of fish.
He said the fish on the Zambian side had been depleted due to poor fishing methods and that only exotic ones were remaining.
“Lake Tanganyika is a fresh water body which is beckoning investment in tourism. The water body has more than 350 species of fish of which most are exotic, including the gold fish which is beautiful to look at,” he said.
Mr Kaluba said the lake had a number of bays around it which could attract tourists across the world.
He further said modernisation of the infrastracture at the habour was progressing well, and that the consultant engaged was expected to conclude the detailed engineering designs early this year.
Mr Kaluba said Government recently procured ultramodern equipment at a cost of US$5 million which would be installed at the habour.
He said the port currently had three folk lifts, a reach stacker and a crawler crane, and was now able to handle containers going out of the country.