DAR ES SALAAM, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Animal feces and decomposed invasive weeds are causes behind the contamination of water in the Mara River, according to findings released Saturday by an 11-member team of experts.
The head of the team Samwel Manyele from the University of Dar es Salaam's Department of Chemical Engineering and Minerals said the animal feces, including those of cattle, were swept into the river by heavy rains.
"Decomposed invasive weeds also played part in polluting water in the river that led to a decrease in oxygen in the water," said Manyele.
Selemani Jaffo, the minister of state in the Vice-President's Office responsible for the environment, on March 13 formed the team of experts to investigate causes that led to contamination of water in the Mara River after water in the river released foul smell and water resources, including fish, were spotted to have died.
Manyele said water in the river was contaminated by the animal feces and the decomposed invasive weeds from Marasibora village in Rorya district down to Wegero village in Butiama district following the heavy downpour.
The Mara River basin covers a surface of 13,504 sq km, of which about 65 percent is located in Kenya and 35 percent in Tanzania.
From its sources in the Kenyan highlands, the river flows for about 395 km, draining into Lake Victoria in Tanzania's Mara region. ■
