TSA secretary general, Noel Kiunsi

Three associations have agreed to form a coalition that would be responsible to improve safety degrees for all water-borne disasters in the country.

The trio are Tanzania Swimming Association (TSA), Tanzania Scouts and Tanzania Life Servers.

TSA secretary general Noel Kiunsi and Tanzania scout trainers’ advisor Stewart Kiluswa disclosed the latest development for the formation of the alliance in Dar es Salaam.

Kiluswa said the partnership has been formed after noting that many Tanzanians happen to lose lives due to inability to swim in time of disasters such as floods or any other water calamity.

He also said the alliance has been formed on advice from the international committee on drowning and presentation which met last month in Vietnam.

He said the international committee advised its entire member states to train people on water safety and prevention of drowning.

“In recent years, the world has witnessed many people dying due to their failure to swim or even how to prevent drowning. We have all seen many people losing lives due to inability to swim or failed to use drowning prevention techniques,” he said.

Kiluswa said plans are underway to organise a national seminar on drowning prevention. However, he could not say when the seminar will be held while discussions with stakeholders are underway.

The TSA official said the alliance will be highly useful for Tanzania which has been covered by water in many places in form of rivers, ocean and lakes.

Kiunsi noted that many people are ignorant of how to prevent themselves from drowning.

Kiluswa and Kiunsi were speaking during the closure of a two-day seminar on swimming and safely organised by Tanzania Marine Swimming Club in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.

The two officials hailed Tanzania Marine Swimming Club for the seminar which they said has imparted swimming and safety knowledge on the participants.