Since immemorial time, Egypt has vehemently defended the Nile as its own property. It was the case for Soudan. However, Rwandan parliamentarians yesterday have voted for the utilization of the River water as a nation from which Nile originates.
Yesterday,9th ,July,20123 Minister Stanislas Kamanzi ,the Rwandan Minister of Natural resources brought a motion of law to be studied by the Parliament .The motion was intending to study on ways and means Rwanda should undertake in order to exploit the Nile water effectively.
The Parliamentarians voted the motion as very significantly as 62 out 67 members.5 persons were neutral about the vote.
Even if Rwanda has rights to utilize the Nile water, Minister Kamanzi said that talks will continue between Egypt and other countries sharing the Nile water .
In 1959 Egypt has signed agreement with the countries nearing Nile that provided right to other countries to use Nile’s water as best as they wish.
Nevertheless, Recently Egypt has started to claim that other countries, among which Ethiopia is the most pointed, are reducing the flow of water Egypt needs to survive.
Before the agreement was that both Egypt and Sudan are the ones to use the Nile as best as they wish, including building an electric power dams using the Nile’ water.
Today many are raising their voices against some of the agreement set by Colonialists, laws they considered outdated.
Rwanda and Ethiopia agree that the use of Nile River is their own rights and none should dictate them on how to use them.
Egypt firmly defends Nile.
Herodotus said that Egypt depends on Nile. ‘Without Nile ,No Egypt ’he said. This seems to be the brink of Egyptians rulers.Recently Egypt was quarrelling with Ethiopian on Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Egypt was afraid that Dam could take over a big amount of water flow and reduce it.
Egypt feared that this could affect its agricultural activities ,thus diplomatic crisis with Ethiopia.
In 2011,Ethiopia,Uganda,Rwanda,Kenya,Tanzania and Burundi signed and agreement to share the Nile water that are known as Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement on the common use of Nile.
HATANGIMANA Ange-Eric
UM– USEKE
