Friday, March 29, 2024

Foreigners should not own land except through leasing from Zambian citizens, suggests experts groups

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Sekula Islands
Sekula Islands

National organisations, institutions and interest groups have submitted to the Sector Group Convention that foreigners should not own land except through leasing from Zambian citizens for the purpose of investment.

And the Sector Group on Land, Environment and Natural Resources struggled to scrutinize comments from organizations and interest groups especially on land which has attracted overwhelming comments and submissions from stakeholders.

The Sector Group on Land, Environment and Natural Resources, which is being chaired by Lennette Kambole Chiti, an Environmental lawyer, spent the whole morning and part of the afternoon session without making clear resolutions especially on land alienation and ownership.

Comments from various institutions and organizations have largely suggested differently on how land should be alienated and managed which led to the house of experts and professionals misunderstand each other as they had two documents, the First Draft Constitution and the copies of comments from organizations, in their hand to refer to before
making their resolutions.

The confusion arose as to whom between the President, Chiefs and the Lands Commission Board should alienate land.

Others agreed with the Article (1) which states that Land in Zambia is vested in the President and held by the President in trust for, and on behalf of, the people of Zambia while others wanted it amended to compel the President to consult the chief, Lands Commission Board and the citizens before alienating land.

For instance, Jubilee Zambia submitted that the clause be amended to provide for the vesting of land in the people of Zambia and not in the President while the Cabinet Office noted that the clause should be amended to provide the Lands Commission to have authority to alienate and administer all land on behalf of the President.

These varying submissions sparked debate among delegates.

Chairperson of the group admitted that the process was a tedious one but urged the experts to endure as they are called to provide solutions to issue that affect the public.

Convention coordinator, Reuben Lifuka, provided guidance after he discovered that the group of experts were spending more time to draft and correct wording in the articles instead of addressing what was required of them according to the terms of reference.

Mr Lifuka advised the group to provide a framework which the Technical Committee would use to draft the Final Draft Constitution and not concentrate on responding to comments from various organizations on the articles.

He said the comments should be quickly gone through and see if they are responding to what the FDC had provided, adding that doing so should be in response to what the terms of reference are requesting them to do.

After the guidance, the group proceeded and began to move at a considerable speed which, if maintained would allow them to conclude their tasks on schedule today.

ZANIS

57 COMMENTS

  1. what are you taking about?….nonsense! better section the lands differently for zambians as a priority and for foriegn investiments

  2. We have to be careful with the way we give out land especially to foreigners. We give huge tracts of land without due consideration on the impact for our future population.

    We don’t want to our grand children to find all the land given to foreigners…..which might cause the country to slide into strife.

    Land is very sensitive issue in any country, the consequences of mishandling, or mismanagement are very harsh.

    Leasing of land to foreigners as opposed to ownership is the right way to go. Once this is enacted into law, apply it retroactively please

  3. great move. foreigners should just invest not to own a land. land should be sold to zambians at cheap price then foregners have no choice but to invest on the land or rent. why do we give foreigners so much power while we are treated like nobody in their countries. its our land or country , they should listen to us. go to england or usa or japan or china. you just have to follow what they say its a law. they dont even compalain about foregners , because foreigners are under them.

  4. Looks like a good idea on face value, but it needs to be examined in the broader context of things. I just hope that a lot of us in Diaspora will not be declared foreigners by the exclusion of the Dual Citizenship clause which this Government is on record that they don’t support Dual Citizenship

    I will only support this move if Dual Citizenship is approved. This Government could easily declare some of us foreigners and grab the little we have using this clause.

    So before we say this is a good move , we need to interrogate the motive behind and also examine the broader context of the whole constitution. We shouldn’t be making laws to fix certain section of the society , especially the people in Diaspora who contribute as much to Zambia.

  5. For sure,first priority are the owners of the land. Its difficulty to own land in other countries. Only thieves like HH can own land in Britain.

  6. President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was both right and wrong on his land grabbing, depends which side of your bread is buttered. Land in many countries is limited to access. Today you have the Indians, Chinese, Pakistans, Senegalis, etc getting chunks of land for long lease. What will remain of our future generations is indeed a big and valid question. Address this is issue and prevent land grabbing in due time ahead.

  7. Land in Zambia is currently owned by the Republic of Zambia. No one Citizen or foreigner owns land in Zambia. All land in Zambia is on LEASE from the Government. The lease maybe for 14 years or 99 years. Chiefs should have no role to play in Land matters because Zambia is not Chiefdom but a republic.
    It appears the so called experts are experts in EATING – nothing else. Disgusting!!

  8. This is a simple matter. Zambian land belongs to Zambians period. I recommend that those tasked to look into this case must identify best practices on this issue around the world and tailor it to the Zambian sitaution. Regarding the constitution, there is a lot that can be borrowed from Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, USA, Japan, China and many othey countries and just make it fit into the Zambian context while reflecting the interest of Zambians and the future of the country. People should look at 50 years and beyond from now (though I know most of those trying to fix the constitution will be dead by then) in order to craft a good constitution. The key question they must answere is “how do I want Zambia to be 50 years from today?” Regardles of will survive the outcome of the…

  9. @Wisdom, thats the way money sink in Lusaka forgetting about rural areas. They enjoy eating the money whilst other people languish. Check the streets of Lusaka and see the blind, sick, deaf, orphans, etc all needing to be supported by govt in their own country. And then go to where those experts are, busy correcting commas, spellings etc just to extend time and get fat allowances. They only care about themselves and what they get. Live and let die. Unfair way of competing for limited national resources!

  10. MMD chief bootlicker, you are now speaking under your own interest and not under a Broder interest of every Zambian. Firstly, why did you decide to obtain citizenship from another country and denounce your own Zambian?? That is not our problem. You can still work in any country as a foreigner without denouncing your country. Because of your selfish interests, you want us the lower Zambians to suffer in our own land?? No ways. Concetrate on your new home and adjust. You want to be making noise in our beloved Zambia just because you have a second home. Chimbwi “afwilile intangalalo.” That’s a bemba proverb. Choose where to belong and stop making things bad for US proud Zambians. We need your contribution, but not in a negative way.

  11. What is the small population of zambians gonna do with all that land? Just allow progressive foreigners to use some of it to raise our productivity.

  12. seems to go in th right direction…..let th draft constitution pass through a referendum….otherwise,all this would wasted tax payer’s money…..

  13. Everyone knows the new frontier is not located in the so called developed world. Protect thy land and resource for in the future when resources are even more limited, the water lying within these borders will be paramount. People tend to go for land near accessible water and one imagines we have probably given land away through careless management that we will pine for in the future. That new database land management system announced not too long ago will shed light, shine light and provide a constructive way forward.

  14. All LAND in Zambia is on leasehold. Even Zambians cannot own land. What a bunch of muppets these so called experts are

  15. It was long overdue.No foreigner must own land.Those who do so must not be allowed to own it after 99 years.In Botswana with a population of 2 million and vast trat of virgin land ,as a foreigner am not allowed to own land except through a registered compnany.

  16. Stop illegal Indians and Chinese owning properties in Zambia. Many bogus Indians holding Zambian passports and work permits owns a lot business properties and commercial plots all over Lusaka. many illegal Indians have bought houses from local black Zambians in Kamwala compound going towards Kafue road from Chilumbulu road govt plz implement this law soonest the better.

  17. Foreigners have helped Zambia to be where it is today. For this reason, u experts must be careful as u debate on such an intricate issue. Some foreigners
    have already bought large tracts of land. As much as u try to debate on the ammendments regarding land ownership by foreigners, you should as well shed more light on what is to happen regarding the land already in their ownership before the ammendment is ascented to and or adopted.

  18. This is what is happening in several countries like Thailand, Malaysia etc. A foreigner cannot own land unless there is a national involved. Believe it or not, land is going to be the most valuable asset in the world soon. There are several countries in the developed world that are running out of useful land. There is nowhere to dump waste, and if we allow such people with money to just walk in and grub vast amounts of land, we shall be in trouble. It will be history repeating itself all over again! Last time they did this we were sleeping, now we should be wide awake!

  19. Leasing is one of the options. Out right purchase is also a reasonable option. However, transactions involving foreign interests ought to be declared appropriately. The foreigners must pay a reasonable fee that will contribute to empowering nationals.

  20. I agree, my heart breaks each time i see beautiful African land especially in the southern and eastern countries being given just like that by some criminal african leader to foreigners for nothing but nuts, ala chi lanshenta! I have seen quiet a few on telly here, beautiful paradise land being given out just like that! imagine am a Zambian but always gets into shock even when the land is from Angola or Swaziland, kwena ifwe ma Africans we have some issues big time! Glad that Zambia is taking the right step in discouraging this mental laps in escalating, bravo en supper dik!

  21. this is great. No foreigner wons land in a foreingn land period. The chiefs should be made liable as well for giving masses of land to foreigners. They are too greedy and selfish.

  22. In MMD foregner were given huge amount of lands in less than a week all papers proccessed, but a Zambia citizen it takes many months to buy land from the coucil.

    This is good ba governement!!

  23. All land must be ours. Not a piece of this land should be sold or given to foregners in perpetuity. Leasehold only is what they deserve. If this is not followed, most of the best pieces of land could, eventually, end up being owned by rich foreigners, leaving only hilly and unarable land for the indigenous Zambians. An unacceptable scenario.

  24. The fact is foreigner fast track their land acquisition because the have plenty of money, laundered or geniune. With that lot thry easily corrupt out simple short sighted minds and get what they want. Most politicians are swingers they swing where there is money. Just the samr way they change party membership is the same way they are easily corrupted by foreigners with money. Munkombwe put it right that they are there to eat. Many times no principles, they just see money come their way and thats it, sell that land. We are a let down to ourselves.

  25. I agree with Wisdom @#13. No one owns land in Zambia but on leasehold. I think we should maintain the status quo. should we restrict land ownership to Zambians only. we risk Land cartel formation where a few Zambians will access massive chunks of land and sell or lease to foreigners. leaving the majority Zambians landless jostling for a plot in Kanyama compound in Lsk at the mess of the PF section chairman. look at the Kenyattas they own half of Kenya. leased to multi national companies for tourism, agriculture etc. Uhuru is the richest man in Africa or among.

  26. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT SUGGESTIONS. WHY SHOULD FOREIGNERS OWN LAND? ZAMBIANS MUST OWN LAND AND LEASE TO FOREIGNERS.

  27. THE GOOD PART OF ZAMBIANS OWNING LAND AND LEASING IT TO FOREIGNERS IS THAT ZAMBIANS CAN MAKE MONEY BY LEASING LAND TO FOREIGNERS. THE BAD PART OF FOREIGNERS OWNING LAND IS THAT THEY CAN BUY IT OFF COMPLETELY AS THEY HAVE MONEY AND FOREIGNERS START LEASING IT TO ZAMBIANS. BECAUSE BY THEN FOREIGNERS OWN IT AND ZAMBIANS DON’T OWN IT. HOW STUUPID M IT WOULD BE.

  28. The Zambian Flag is embossed with four colours which are green, red, orange and black, with associated meanings as follows; Green for the vegetation-supposedly in its bloom during or during the rainy season-because it can be beige-brown sometimes. Red is for the blood that was shed during the struggle for independence from colonialism or imperialism. ORANGE stands for the copper mined in Zambia as the main resource on which the economy is anchored. BLACK is for the skin colour of the indigenous people of Zambia.
    I find the use of Orange and Black to be inappropriate. Let me give reasons:

  29. Orange
    Copper is a wasting asset that we have depended on for a long time. At this present moment, I don’t see much importance in having the colour of just one resource in the national flag. What will happen at a time when this copper is finished and we remain with empty holes in the ground? Shall we keep the colour for the sake of acknowledging the resource on which the country was founded economically? In my view, land is a major resource that holds all elements including water, which is equally important and I think is adequately represented by the “green” colour. I have never seen the colour of oil represented in the national flag of, for example, Nigeria or Kuwait. After all, we have sold all the mines to private interests and we cannot claim to be getting the full benefits from…

  30. Black
    I am made to understand that the Zambian Constitution talks about a Zambia which is multi racial, multicultural, multi religious, multiparty and all that… What sense is there in putting the colour of a people in the flag? Is this not discrimination? I mean, we have Zambians of European, Asian and other origins who may not be black, but are Zambians. We do know that some people consider Asians as black, whatever the intrinsic meaning of black is… We now have White Vice President who is hardworking and patriotic for Zambia and is as indigenous by birth as many Zambians if not more than some. It is just ridiculous to have colour of a people in the flag, as if it is of any value other than historical lamentation which only serves to carry injustices of the past into the future; that…

  31. #40 Chindakwanda, I agree with you 100%. Guy scot is more Zambian I have interacted with the old man. He has passion for this country. we shocked Mugabe at the SADC meeting in Malawi when he found himself sharing the presidential seats with a whiteZambian.

  32. No. Foreigners should be able to buy land and obviously develop it and attract investments to Zambia. Diversity is good and generally people from foreign countries will come with good ideas on what to do with the land. What we dont want is a situation where Zambians become tenants in their own country; so when doing business with the world we have to strategically sale land and lease it but still retail the majority of it in Zambian or state owned operations. Without land you might as well loose your citizenship. More Zambians should own land.

  33. No you selfish. I don’t live in Zambia but oversees they give us lands, what are you talking about. Lands belong to God. Today you die you leave it. Shame on you.

  34. @ MMD Chief Bootlicker
    On this article and for the first time, I have to strongly disagree with you and I fully support and share the sentiments articulated by Brother Sam @ 16. People who have acquired other nationalities have, by default seized to be Zambian citizens. That is the Law of the land and they should therefore be treated as foreigners and exempt from such land proposals.

  35. What are these so called experts doing. I agree with the other guys who are saying land in Zambia is not owned by any other person but the President. Those with Title Deeds will agree with us that the land and on lease. The President holds full Title to the Land. Please ask the Council Town Clerks or Council Secretaries for clarification. They have been dealing with land allocation every day. What is the fuzz about this issue. You cant own land in Zambia, its on lease held by the President. If any Foreigner or any Zambian citizen defaults or misbehaves, the President has the right to get back the Title Deed. Please let us not make unnecessary confusion on issues that are so clear and straight forward.

  36. This is tulu otherwise at the rate we are going all land will be in other people’s hands and natives will have nothing and will be beggars in their own land! Remember Southern Rhodesia?

  37. We Africans have problem big time; big issues in our heads. After being colonized and passed through all sorts of oppressions still, we are giving all valuable land to foreigners and eventually they will own the whole country which could result into another type of enslavement right?. We still don’t get it, after independence there is nothing we can do on our own? we have a dependence syndrome encoded in our genes I think, otherwise how do you explain all these. Which has more Intrinsic value money or Land? money today tomorrow is gone while land is permanent. You sale land to foreigners and you prefer to be landless and homeless. Please let us remove blind and greed leaders now by all means to bring sanity to the content. All that is done is is fighting over greedy. Shame Africa.

  38. foreign investments my foot! from here it looks like Zambia is the best place to milk money from.

    Check this.

    Andy Van de Viet (not real name) is invited by a colleague of his Joost Van Dijk (not real name) who works for a foreign mining company to establish in Zambia……..
    sorry will continue after breakfast

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  42. I would like to know if any locals would be willing to lease land at a minimum cost or work with a couple of foreigners that would like to help personally with labor, training, and financially through donations and eventually produce a local export. We would like to grow a volunteer base and help produce renewable products to aid locals and the local economy but respecting the environment at the same time. In no way do we intend to make a profit for ourselves, just to help locals become self sustainable.

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