Management at the shut down Albidon Munali Nickel mine in Mazabuka has surrendered back to the local community 1,000 hectares of land out of the 2,200 hectares that the mine had secured for its operations.
The acquisition of the 2,200 hectares of land had resulted in the displacement of 145 families.
Mazabuka Town Clerk, Ekan Chingangu confirmed the development to ZANIS in Mazabuka today.
Mr Chingangu explained that the move follows several meetings held between the displaced families and the mine management.
He said currently lawyers representing the mine are working with staff in the Ministry of Lands to subdivide the land.
Mr. Chingangu said the mine realized that it had obtained vast land which it could not fully utilise hence surrendering part of the land back to the local community.
Meanwhile, Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba , has welcomed the development.
And Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo told ZANIS that the move will ease the suffering of the families that were displaced.
Mr Nkombo noted that the life and livelihood of the affected families had been severely disturbed in the last three years that they had been displaced without being offered alternative land.
He pointed out that the affected families had no land on which they could cultivate crops hence they had been perpetually threatened by hunger.
Mr Nkombo said there is need to look into the plight of displaced people when allocating land to investors.
Albidon Munali Nickel mine in Mazabuka has since been put on receivership.
ENDS/HC/AM/ZANS
Give land back to its owners. Power to the people….
va kanga vi development va ma fast fast….
At long last my relatives can cultivate again on mother land
Albidon is closed? That is really sad! I know so many people that left their jobs at Kansanshi, Lumwana, KCM etc to join Albidon coz it was promising. Its so so sad!!
Great news though I would like the mine to give those people some compensation money for the three years they were off their land following “And Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo told ZANIS that the move will ease the suffering of the families that were displaced. Mr Nkombo noted that the life and livelihood of the affected families had been severely disturbed in the last three years that they had been displaced without being offered alternative land” as those people need full payment of what they deserve.
Anything short of this is daylight robbery. I hope the lawyers representing the various stakeholders here will take my contribution seriously.
Well well well, another opportunity for Lands corruption. I bet only fourteen out of the 145 will have their land because even the town clerk, DC, provincial minister and lands chaps will jump on board to have their share.
2,200 hectares is really vast. Land is not a problem in Zambia. The problem is how to develop it. This is where Muzungus, Chinese, Indians & Boers come in.
# 5 . however if this investment project had taken off. dont you think it would have better for Mazabuka and Zambia not withstanding the displacements
Is it because the mine is closed or they just didnt have the capacity to develop from the begining?
8, positivist pa zed greetings. Definitely it would have been better but the issue is that compensation has not been fully implemented by the Mine’s management.
I hope you understand this issue and keep out the UPND Team’s contribution over this case in the media and elsewhere.
Ok sorry done have details on this score
#7 Nine Chale, mukalamba wandi nilekaleka. If you are referring to the vastness of land I do not know if have you heard that govt has given 2million hectares of land to chinese investors for biofuels? I do not have the facts but I got this news from the Zambian Economist blog. 2million Ha. bakamba, 2million. Obviously utuma choncholi twalimonafye ati fyalipwalala pa zed so kwisafye kwati tulimisana kanshi tukalaimba oil ninshi ifwe tulelanda pali biofuels even when we know that we will not be using it on our cars since we do not manufacture any. There is BAZ which govt is listening to instead of focusing on how we could start oil ventures.
What kind of INVESTMENT is this? This is Plunder of Natural Resources! This is denying Indigenous Local People of their Rights to their Land! The Mine came with a big BANG, and quickly MELTED WITH A BIG BANG!
When will the Powers that be REALIZE THAT FOREIGNERS have their HOME-LAND, they do not INVEST, BUT INSTEAD INFEST OUR LAND to make themselves RICHER AND RICHER as we become poorer and MORE DEPENDENT ON THEM. Wake-Up the Power-That-Be. EMPOWER ZAMBIANS FOR ZAMBIA
#10 Maestro, what do you mean when you say “I hope you understand this issue and keep out the UPND Team’s contribution over this case in the media and elsewhere”? You mean positivist pa zed should not say anything on the topic because he or she does not belong to UPND? Pliz clarify.
Out of the about 750 000 square kilometers (39th biggest country on Planet Earth just above France which is the 4Oth rated) of land that Zambia has, we as Zambians including foreigners (investors) are using lony approxiamtely 7 % of our total land. So, let us not panic but seek for development of land so that we can also be in the G20 like South Africa which is ahead of Zambia in total land with 1 221 037 km2 (25th biggest on the Earth’s surface) a lot of that SA land is arid (semi-desert).
In light of this, let us just diversify our economy and stop depending on mining revenues, but look to agriculture, software development (like Israel), pharmaceuticals (than importing from India and elsewhere) ,etc.
#13 Jhomu, good question but pliz read my contribution on #12 above and #16 under “Government cautious in securing new investor for Luanshya mine”.
following long full names on the blog,i have also decided to add my surname for full identity.as fo the topic at hand,it’s a lesson to the authorities not to get too excited with foreign investors.how cud they give such huge piece of land to an investor at the expense of the local pipo?we must be firm and fair in our dealings.
14, kamunyama, I want him to be objective as a Citizen instead of looking at this case from a political standpoint. Otherwise, s/he is free to do so if that appeals to her/him.
in #17,my surname shud read mwendakanitandazgirangaposo,
#18 Maestro, with due respect, I am failing to see any politics in the guy’s contribution. But hey, who am I to deny you seeing any politics in his/her comment? Let me not infringe on your opinion.
20 kamunyama, I did not write that they person has politics in his writing. I asked him to just look at it as a normal Zambia. Otherwise, the article itself has the UPND MP and a Mazabuka Mayor which brings in politics. I hope you are serious about your “ But hey, who am I to deny you seeing any politics in his/her comment? Let me not infringe on your opinion.” Have a nice day.
#21 Maestro, Well no hard feelings, but whatever you mean on whether I am serious about me letting you enjoy your freedom of opinion. Well it is a fact that whether I am serious or not, you are entiltiled to your opinion and so is everyone. So just be sure that I try to observe that rule and that is why I requested for your clarification so that I understand from which point you are arguing on this discourse. Apologies, nevertheless.
Surely the pipo must be compansated, some of them lost their land and houses.
If the so called investors were to come to Zed and discovered oil for example, as claimed by the late, in North-western, should people be moved/displaced? If so, whats in it for the locals and who compensates? Who should ensure that these people are not only displaced but moved in an orderly and humane manner? These might sound simple and some what obvious questions but you will be actually amazed at how little attention the plight of poor and marginalised gets at the hands of drooling and greedy investors and a corrupt and inept government. One lesson learnt here is that the cost of moving people and ensuring that they are properly compensated, new land is found for them and houses built, should be sorted and included in the initial cost of the project. No two ways about this.
Uwakwisano #24, I support your comment and your questions need much attention. I wonder if those given opportunities to chose investors do look in those angles.