The Zambia Land Alliance (ZLA) says land alienation should be transparent, accountable and timely and decentralized to the district level.
ZLA Executive Director, Henry Machina, in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, further said the size on landholding, a crackdown on discrimination in land administration, and lease term limits of 50 years for Zambians should be enacted.
Mr. Machina also pointed out that vulnerable groups, such as those with disabilities, women and youths, need extra attention in land administration.
He said appropriate registration should be put in place to ensure the 30 percent provision of all land allocations in state land goes to women.
Mr. Machina also said there is need for continued sensitization and awareness raising campaigns as well as encouragement of joint registration of land rights for married couples.
He said ZLA agrees with government’s proposal to lower the contractual age at which an individual qualifies to hold to 18years.
He added that government should also create and enforce a strict inheritance system to ensure the administrator of the estate does not deprive the children or surviving spouse of their inheritance land.
Mr. Machina said non- Zambians requiring land for investment purposes should access land through a partnership with a Zambian and on acceptance of a business plan, including an impact assessment.
He said the lease period should not exceed 30years adding that it would be renewable depending on land utilization over the lease period.
He further said non-Zambian investment should be structured so that Zambians participate in wealth creation and development of the country.
Mr. Machina further said the need for conflict resolution in land is paramount to tenure security adding that viable alternative disputes resolution mechanism beside the courts of law need to be promoted.
He said the lands tribunal needs to revise its operations to allow it to decide state land cases not just involving a person in authority.
He has since called on government to recognize and strengthen local dispute mechanisms that are easily accessible to the majority Zambians.
