Chief Nkole of the Swaka people in Kapiri Mposhi district has repossessed the land that he offered to government for purposes of creating a resettlement scheme in his chiefdom.
Chief Nkole said he has reclaimed over 1,500 hectares of land that he offered to the Department of Resettlement to create the Katanino Resettlement Scheme because it has been mismanaged and brought about displacement of most of his subjects in his chiefdom.
During his tour of villages in his chiefdom, the traditional leader ordered the government, through the Department of Resettlement, to discontinue the process of allocating land in Katanino Resettlement Scheme with immediate effect.
Chief Nkole said he was concerned over the welfare of his subjects and that he will not stand and see his people being driven out of their land in the name of development.
“With immediate effect, I do not want to have anything to do with Katanino Resettlement Scheme because it has brought a lot of miseries among my subjects. Why should my people be slaves in their own motherland?” wondered Chief Nkole.
He accused government of failing to abide by the agreement signed between his chiefdom and the Land Resettlement unit that stressed the need to incorporate the local people.
Chief Nkole charged that the government, through the Department of Resettlement, had promised to construct roads, rural health posts, community schools and water points among other things in his chiefdom but this has not been honoured.
The chief also complained that he has not received K85 million which the government agreed to pay him upon his surrendering of the land to the Resettlement Scheme.
He also claimed that government has failed to electrify his area and construct him a modern palace as agreed five years ago when the project was initiated.
“I am very concerned because my people have now been driven and chased away from their land. Where do you think they will go? We agreed that the old settlers should be given land and not resettled but I am afraid government is not honouring our agreement so I have decided to repossess my land”, Chief Nkole said. “Moreover, they have not even honoured what we agreed upon,” he added.
Chief Nkole also said the land that he gave out for the resettlement scheme was being used for charcoal production by the new settlers instead of farming and other meaningful developmental activities.
“They have finished trees through massive charcoal burning … they are involved in commercial charcoal production instead of farming. I am not going to allow this because it will have an effect on the climate in my area,” Chief Nkole said.
The chief stated that by repossessing the said land, he was merely enforcing the ruling of the Lands Tribunal early last year.
Some settlers sued the traditional leader when he forcefully removed them from the Katanino Resettlement Scheme.
ZANIS
Wise chief with a good heart for his dear people.
what wise chief, he wants his K85m.
Do not be too quick to celebrate ! This needs to be investigated further. It could be that this chief is being corrupted by these white people who want cheap or even free land from this chief. Before you know it, the land will be occupied by these white people. The chief should tread carefully not ati ” Muzungu anitemwe” mentality which maiy display inferiority complex.
Which wise Chief when he gave out the land out of selfish interests enrich himself at the expense of his subjects shame
Good your Royal Highness Chief Nkole, You must be congratulated for such an action , because you have consdered your subjects whom you dont want to become desititutes in their own villages. Please other Chiefs must emulate Chief Nkole for this gesture do not let your people become internally displaced . Chief Liteta should learn a lesson from this !!!!!!
SO THE GOVT IS SUPPOSED TO BUILD MORDEN PALACES FOR CHIEFS AND KINGS IN ZAMBIA. NEW TO ME.
Thé CHIEF IS RIGHT IF NÔT 4 THÉ 86M
Do we still need chiefs in Zambia? the only tradition they have carried through ages is corruption.
In a way yes. The instability of eliminating chiefdoms could cause unnecessary bloodshed. The people in these lands would misconstrue such attempts as acts of war to put it lightly( though the concept of war is not a light matter). How would you explain this to them? I am also of the opinion that some traditions and customs are outdated and retrogressive but solutions must be thought smart and consider the social impact as well as financial impact for the people in the areas.
Too late sir, I alreay have a title on the settlemnet
corrupt chief
I hope he is not trying to give it the guy in the picture.
I don’t even understand why we should continue having villages and chiefs in this modern day World. So many Countries have done away with villages, good example, South Africa which allowed its people to, instead of having villages, they should build modern structures in the same places, and continue calling them villages if they so wish. And its evident how how they have succeeded. No wonder South Africa is so beautiful everywhere you go.
ubufi wapena iwe?have you ever been to SA really? Black pipo in shanties in south would cut your throat if the saw you, tell that to the late miners!
So if k85m was given to him,would he have reversed the decision?
This goes further to show why development and employment keep eluding villagers.
Emagine how many jobs this resetlement would have created and the number of roads would have been built within his chiefdom?
I think its time chiefs were abolished in Zambia as they are too behind to live up with modernity.
I don’t know what the chief’s motives were for this, if they were for himself or for the people, but it seems like he’s right to do it. Two governments and five years is a long time to not have an agreement honoured. Those here who think that modern structures are beautiful, I can’t even understand what you are thinking. People can have villages with amenities and safe houses without them looking like the ugly unnatural structures of development. Anyway, the chief is right to be concerned about deforestation.
:-?
was the govt given title, i thought then the land cannot convert back to customary land. Meaning that when the Honourable Chief gave out to land to Govt and presumably title was given with his and the councils permission – the land converted to stateland, he therefore ceased to have control over this land and as indicated above that land cannot revert to our good Chief
Don’t be naive bloggers. Every leader is entitled to some sort of renumeration. Be it a Church leader, Bank Manager President Doctor. He did well. He had plan to have the village developed but was duped.
In his mind there was going to be schools, roads, water systems etc and to adk for $17,000 for that fete I think was very generous. Right now your leaders are geeting million for supplying you expired drugs and stealing at the same time.
Think before you comment!!
What are you talking about, are you thinking? You write about a leader: And list doctors, Bank Manager as leaders. Just a lesson to you, not all managers are leaders. Then you list water system under infrastructure. Expired drugs? Or do mean medicines? My goodness me…. Zambians Zambians.
You need to be in my class young-man. I will use you as a case study for my lecture.
Chief Nkole for President 2016!!
#15 Cat Manpower: What are you talking about, are you thinking? You write about a leader: and list doctors, Bank Manager as leaders. Just a lesson to you, not all managers are leaders. Then you list water system under infrastructure. Expired drugs? Or do you mean medicines? My goodness me…. Zambians Zambians.
You need to be in my class young-man. I will use you as a case study for my lecture this Wednesday.
Nostradamus,
I may make mistake about classification of learned people but as far as am concerned they stear the direction of the economy. What my main point is that he was thinking about his people like i thought about my family and moved from Zambia to work hear as a diesel fitter from Mechanic in Zambia where the minimum wage is $53.00 Aud per hour and after 7.6 hours its time and half and the last 2.4 hours in a day is double time. Am on way more than that. Check any Aussie job site. I think you can continue to exhibit your intelligence and insult us but die broke. Yes Its medices. hahaha. Anyway thank you for the information as I always keep trying to educate more though will never earn me 3grand plus a week. A very normal wage. And its take home after tax.
Stay cool Old man.
way to go..let them move out..where will our children live..?
I was beginning to commend the chief for this action….until I came to the issue of K 86 million. Let us say he had been given this money, how many of his subject would have benefitted? None, except his immediate family. It is a pity that chiefs have become so corrupt..Traditional leadership is good for preserving cultural identity. However, the activities of most of the chiefs will soon render them irrelevant and retrogressive in today’s modern Zambia
Everything has two aspects,i once bought a piece of customary land from the Chief ,right in front of me ,the Chief give some of the money which should belong to himself to some of his subjects and headmen. it is said that most of the money i paid will be used in local facilities. the chief will only take a small amout. this is what i experenced and i belive it. on the other hand,it is really hard to abolish a tradition.think carefully before acting otherwise someone will suffer the subsequences.