About LVBC

Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) is a specialized institution of the East African Community (EAC) having its headquarters in the City of Kisumu, Republic of Kenya. 

The Commission is established under Article 114 (2) (b) (vi) of the EAC Treaty, Article 33 of the protocol for Sustainable Development of Lake Victoria Basin (2003) and section 3 of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission Act (2022).

Lake Victoria Basin Commission Act, 2022 was assented on 6th October, 2022 and came into force in November 2022. The act was enacted by the East African Community and assented by the heads of state. 

The mandate of the Commission is to coordinate sustainable development and management of resources in the Lake Victoria Basin.

To fulfill its mandate, LVBC coordinates projects and programmes in the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) include Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. LVBC develops Project Concept Notes (PCNs) and mobilizes resources through various Development Partners. The projects are implemented by the Partner States within the LVB.

Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake in Africa, covers 68,800 square kilometers and is shared among Tanzania (51%), Uganda (46%), and Kenya (6%), with Rwanda and Burundi contributing to its basin through river systems.

The lake has an average depth of 40 meters and a maximum depth of 80 meters, with the surrounding basin spanning 193,000 square kilometers.

Over 45 million people live in the Lake Victoria Basin, depending on its resources for vital economic activities such as fishing (notably Nile perch and tilapia), agriculture, transport, tourism, hydropower, and artisanal mining.

Major cities along its shores, including Kisumu (Kenya), Mwanza (Tanzania), and Entebbe (Uganda), heavily rely on the lake for water supply and economic growth.

The East African Community has identified the Lake Victoria Basin as a potential economic growth zone.