Friday, March 29, 2024

Luo asked to hold chiefs accountable over irresponsible selling of land to investors

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Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Nkandu Luo
Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Nkandu Luo

THE Zambia Land Alliance (ZLA) has appealed to Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Nkandu Luo to come up with a mechanism on how chiefs can be held accountable by their subjects on land governance.

This follows reports of likely displacement of over 134 families in Chief Kanyeshya’s area in Mkushi.

Last week, there were media reports that over 134 families were facing possible destitution after their traditional leader allegedly sold 1,900 hectares of their pieces of land to an investor.

This is contained in a press statement issued in Lusaka yesterday by ZLA chairperson Caesar Katebe.

Mr Katebe said his office has received several reports from community members seeking assistance because they allege that their traditional leaders sell their pieces of land.

“This land issue should be addressed as a matter of urgency by the government,” he said.

Mr Katebe said if Zambia had adequate laws to protect people on their land, there would be no such sad developments.

“The Zambia Land Alliance is therefore calling on Government through relevant line ministries to intervene in this matter and ensure that the affected people stay on their land as they will have nowhere to go and will have no sure means of survival,” he said.

Mr Katebe said investment should never be at the expense of poor people.

He said it is unfortunate that some traditional leaders who are supposed to protect their subjects’ land are the ones being accused of selling it away.

“As a country, we need to ensure that people are protected on their land. It is highly unacceptable for such occurrences to continue in our country where people’s livelihood is indiscriminately jeopardised by actions of a privileged few,” he said.

Mr Katebe said there is a growing trend of traditional leaders selling land without considering where their subjects will live.

He said land is not only about livelihood but identity and heritage and should be conserved for future generations.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

13 COMMENTS

  1. This is very true, serious and unfortunate. Most of the small tribes in our country especially those located closer to urban areas really cannot claim to have any proper identity, heritage and a sense of belonging left in them. This is because they have been displaced as a result of the selling of their land by their traditional leaders and these people are now all over the show.

    It really is so unfortunate that our very own brothers and sisters have to be marginalised to this extent all in the name of bringing in counterfeit chinese investors coming to make bricks and rearing chickens.

  2. #2 William Banda, just carry out an investigation on what is happening to traditional land between 6miles (Lusaka) and Chisamba. You will be shocked to found out how many families have been displaced by cheap headmen for want of money. Govt needs to urgently step in and protect these vulnerable families. The so called investors are being supported to get title deeds while the locals ( even those that can afford) are being denied. Ministry of Lands, Justice Ministry, Ministry of Chiefs, please move in and stop what is happening. Simply empower these locals with title deeds for a few acres so that they can have some livelihood.

  3. Chieftaines Chaiwa just sold 16,000 hecters of land to investors and no one is protecting the local people. Katebe, go to chiawa and save the villagers how are being harrased by their chief. 

  4. nkandu Luo is also a beneficially of illigal land allocation. she is the one encouraging PF cadres to grab Land in munali constituency. there is rampanty land grabing in foxdale and obama areas of chamba valley by the PF cadres. hopeless land owners with title deeds are been chased. the police cant do anything to protect the people as they receive threats from Nkandu Luo

  5. What is the Ministry of Lands there for? Dishing out title deeds to any infester claiming to be an investor!? The mother of all corruption is at this ministry. There is nothing Nkandu Luo can do to stop this. ACC should have a permanent office at Ministry of lands. And, there should someone to watch the ACC officer posted there. Else, kaya!

  6. Madam Luo must leave politics she can serve the country in her professional undertakings. She is no longer active in research and HIV and AIDS work any more. Prof go back to do what you are good at. No one can take that away from you no matter how they critise or hate you. I respect you as one of the achieving women of our country within our country. You may have your weakness (who doesnt?) but there is a lot that you can contribute to the country within your profession.

  7. Is it not the same Chief Kanyeshya who game Kennedy Mweene a big chunk of land ? Now i have started doubting his generosity….looks like it is now misplaced.

  8. This Chief called the Lion King in Stone is lauging all the way to the BANK now, sold most of his land to the whites there and is laughing and eating, only himself, not even his wife.What can luo do??

  9. This is why some of us argue that Land can no longer be handled in a wishy-washy way anymore just because it is traditional. With due respect to traditional leaders they do not have the administrative capacity to administer land.

  10. What a waste of a profession; waste of talent…this is like demoting an electrical engineer in ZESCO to change light bulbs and light electrical duties at the headoffice. Why didn’t this lady just resign and go to the backbenches where she could have been more effective…..no integrity these politicians.

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