Government has expressed concern with a local investor who has stopped China Geo the contractor working on ring the Luangwa D145 main road from making a detour through his land along the Nyankhongolo forcing the Contractor to take an another expensive route.
Mr. Mumba expressed concern and disappointment when he was informed by the Chief Engineer for China Geo Wei Jiang Zhang that the proprietor of the land where they have intended to put a detour had stopped them from going ahead unless they paid him some money.
He said this during an on the spot check of the progress of the contraction works on the D145 Luangwa main road and to inform the Contractor that the Permanent Secretary’s Office Lusaka Province has given him a go ahead to make a detour in the private land, yesterday.
The District Commissioner warned that government will not allow individuals with personal interest to hinder its developmental projects which are aimed at uplifting the standard of living of the people in the District.
Mr. Mumba said it was unfortunate that Mr. Kafuba Mboma who was given about 6.5 Kilometer of Land by a Traditional Leader was hindering Government’s efforts of enhancing development in the area.
He urged the Road Contractor, China Geo to go ahead with the detour passing through Mr. Mboma’s land so that the project is complete on time but China Geo Chief Engineer said they have already started works on the other side of the road though it will somehow delay the project because there is no enough gravel.
But Mr. Zhang told the District Commissioner that it will be very difficult for them to get gravel on the other side of the main road where they have now put up a detour and that it will make them make a substandard job if the local investor stops them from getting gravel from the area he claims to be his.
Mr. Zhang further appealed to the District Administration to talk to Chief Mphuka and Mr. Mboma to allow them get gravel from the so called private property so that they are able to make a standard road.
He said they are only remaining with 24Km of the detour to reach the Boma and then start on the main road contraction of tarring.
Mr. Mboma was given about 6.5Km stretch of land in Nyankhongolo along the D145 main road up to the Luangwa River which some Zambia Wildlife Authority staff have said it was not done in good faith as the area was an animal corridor going to the river.
Workers protecting the same land told this reporter that Mr. Mboma wants to make a game ranch in the said area which is in a game Management area (GMA).
One ZAWA senior Officer who did not want to be mentioned said it was illegal according to the ZAWA Act to have a game ranch in a GMA as it will be difficult to differentiate state animals and the tamed ones.
Mr. Mboma is one of the Local Investors who has acquired two portion of traditional land from Chief Mphuka which he has failed to develop for a long time.
He has one land in Kavalamanja which he acquired from late Chief Mphuka in the late 1990s which he has not developed up to now and has only employed a few people protecting the land from people picking fire wood.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr. Mboma failed by press time.
Zambia – the edge of Sanity
imwe bafi ka….la,,,, its his land,, he has title deeds,,, what allow??,,, ask how much and pay for the detour of ours,,, ala,,, you are busy evicting native zambians,,,, but you want free land from some hoe bought,,,, pay or construct your roads in the air,,,, air roads are free and dont have potholes,,, talk about one stone for two birds
What’s the problem here…is it not his land? You are used to dealing with illiterate landowners/ headmen he knows the value of his land!
Further expense??? More access to money laundering facilities. How can you design a road way with out consulting where it will go and through whos land it will go through…therefore the land owners should be compensated and this would be a preliminary issue. Theiving is what this is.
According to Zambian law all land belongs to president weak project managers how do they fail to instruct the contractor to go ahead and reap anything along development maize, rice, weat etc and compesate him for the destroyed crops or buildings .
Law of the bush?
Here in the USA, there is what is called “THE LAW OF EMINENT DOMAIN.” That is, if Govt (Local, State, or Federal) wants to build infrastructure which is in PUBLIC INTEREST (say a Highway, Road, Bridge, Public Park, Hospital, School, etc) the project takes precedence over people’s private interests. And govt has the right to grab land or whatever private property stands in the way. Nonetheless, private owners are always fairly compensated at the PREVAILING MARKET VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
I am not sure what the market value of dormant land an Investor has failed to develop in Zambia is at the moment. But I think holding on to land in the hope of becoming a LANDLORD someday and profit from the sale of land which, in all likelihood, was acquired for free from the Chief is wrong!
Keystone Pipeline has been delayed because States and land owners are litigating . They don’t want the damn thing to be built over their land. So it is not as easy in the US as you’re portraying it.
Am sure u need some research,public interest prevail in USA,not sure which state u are referring to but,the state will always follow the legal process by offering compensation ,which u correctly mentioned,at times they pay more than its value.the owner of the land has discretion over his property,going ahead means trespassing which is a criminal offense.this politician is very arrogant in his language,he should learn to use diplomatic language when dealing with public vs private conflicts.