SQUATTERS in Mindolo North in Kitwe whose illegal structures have been demolished by the Kitwe City Council (KCC) have vowed not to leave the area because the land was duly offered to them.
A combined team of KCC and State police two weeks ago swung into action demolishing more than 600 houses which were allegedly built on land belonging to Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) and Phoenix materials.
But a check by the yesterday found the squatters had erected makeshift stalls while others had put up bricks to make temporal shelters.
Ernest Kapembwa, whose house was demolished, said he would not leave the family because he had lived in the area for four years and had nowhere to take his family.
Mr Kapembwa said the plots in question were allocated to them by council officials and that the residents did not demarcate the land on their own.
He suggested that the council should legalize the area and allow them to pay penalty fees.
“We are not leaving this area, we did not offer these plots to ourselves and as far as we are concerned there is no title indicating that the land belongs to someone else. So let them just legalize the area and we are ready to pay penalty fees,” he said.
Mr Kapembwa said school going children had been disturbed and cannot get transfers to other schools.
Another victim Evaristo Kapambwe said water and ZESCO poles had already been erected in the area an indication that the land was legally allocated.
Mr Kapambwe said the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit(DMMU) should offer humanitarian aid within the area not anywhere else.
Patriotic Front (PF) Matero constituency chairlady, Mercy Chisenga who went to console the victims said opposition political parties should not take advantage of the situation.
Ms Chisenga said the alleged illegal plots were allocated during the MMD reign and that the council should legalise the area.
The (DMMU) is expected to provide relief to the affected residents who have been left homeless following the demolition exercise.
Just go bangwele,follow the people who tricked you
Indeed this carcass (victims of demolition and alleged illegal land allocation) is attracting all sorts of diners!! PF Kitwe City Councillors who ordered the demolition (while allowing illegal street vending and illegal taxis) are scared that UPND and HH may steal the limelight and have rushed back to tell the people not to appreciate the timely gift of food relief. Will the victims start insulting and threatening HH if he attempts to visit this so-called “PF ring fenced” part of Zambia?? One wonders what kind of mentality people who live in Copperbelt have. Mazoka lost in 2001 because of Copperbelt vote. Apparently Mazoka is being praised now because he is dead. Mazoka introduced HH to politics but today they are saying HH is a far cry from Mazoka. Does it make sense? Yes. Tribalism.
Ms Chisenga said the alleged illegal plots were allocated during the MMD reign and that the council should legalise the area.
What kind of calibre is this? You wonder why the PF is losing popularity. This is the answer! Get rid of this type of cadre leadership as exhibited by Patriotic Front (PF) Matero constituency chairlady and the party will again flourish.
The Minister of Local Government has already issued an instruction that the squatters must leave and a junior party official is encouraging them to stay! Now the squatters are saying that they won’t go! I would not be surprised if this chairlady has not already allocated plots in Matero. Zambia has laws and the courts have said those squatters must go. All those people giving them blankets and mealie meal are just encouraging…
There we go again ! Some people never learn.