GOVERNMENT has charged that structures built on illegal land will be demolished in order to curb lawlessness.
Land and natural resources minister Christabel Ngimbu said Government will tolerate people acquiring land illegally.
“We shall not allow people to get land illegally. Any structure that is built on illegal land will be demolished,” she said.
Recently, over 30 houses were demolished in Chinika industrial area in Lusaka after an investor, Tesno General Dealers, executed a court order to remove them from the area and demolish their structures.
Meanwhile, the Taskforce on Illegal Land Allocations and Acquisition is investigating about 173 complaints regarding illegal land activities received from across the country, according to a statement released by the Task Force spokesperson Moses Suwali.
Taskforce Chairperson Colonel Panji Kaunda said that of the 173 complaints, 50 are from Lusaka while 123 have been drawn from various parts of the country.
Col. Kaunda who is also Home Affairs Deputy Minister stated that the Taskforce will not hesitate to demolish structures built on land illegally acquired.
“No one is authorized to buy or sale land which is illegally acquired and anyone found wanting will be prosecuted,” said Col Kaunda.
He has warned members of the society to refrain from buying or selling land illegally acquired other than from established authorities such as Ministry of Lands or the local Authorities.
Col. Kaunda said that illegal acquisition of land as treated as stolen property and anyone who buys or sales illegal land will be guilty of stolen property and prosecuted by the courts of law.
Pieces of Land under investigation include Illegal structures built on the ZAWA buffer zone in new Kasama, Obama area, NISR land in Silverest Area and several properties invaded in Lilayi area among others.
Meanwhile, Col. Kaunda has revealed that his Committee has plans to decentralize the Taskforce on Illegal Land Allocation into other province in the country.
He said that the idea of decentralizing the Taskforce will greatly help to curb illegal land activities across the country as people would be easily reached out.
Col. Kaunda revealed that the decentralization process would be embarked on when funds are available.
The Taskforce on Illegal Land Allocations and Acquisitions was launched on 23 July 2014 with the mandate of curbing all illegal land activities that have rocked the country.
The Taskforce whose other objective is to enforce the legality of authenticated land ownership comprises three mother ministries which include the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Lands and natural Resources and the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.
Yeeeeeeeeeees! Arrest even the buyers we are fed up of attacks by thieves fir us who work in Local Authorities.
They buy illegally and yet still condemn Councils to hide their theft!
Bekateni ba mukukulu!
Is the Hon. Minister still with the pre-election husband or was it just malicious character assassination? What is the status of Hon. Ngimbu? If it is true she ran away from or chased the husband after winning elections then I question the morality of her being appointed Minister of Lands. That is a Ministry that requires a person with strong morals. If we cannot manage a home, how can we manage a huge issue such as land? I am only asking.
This is encouraging! Please demolish Ibex Hill illegal plots as well in an area called “Kalale” – barely 1 km from the new American (USA)Embassy complex.
Start with Kambili Villas in Luanshya for building on public golf club and not paying Witholding Tax!
Start in Matero opposite Shadrecks, the cadres have built on top of the sewer from matero to chunga!
Arrest the cadres,starting from UNIP era. also,expalin the correct procedure to follow when acquiring land.
Then all the komboni’s will have to be demolished in Lusaka they are all a result of imisango yaba ward chairman this problem goes back to the Kaunda days when cadrism orgininated. Cadres were given illegal plots the only difference with now is that population has grown and illegal allocation has become rampant.
Just talk blah blah blah !! Always very little action. Useless government
At times pipo acquire land with the help of land officers without knowing the illegality of documentation. The task force should be reasonable and legitimize documentation where there is no conflict of interest. Grabbing land from one person to another in the name of task force is not helping citizens. Just another form of corruption. Streamline operations at lands once and for all. At the discretion of the Commissioner of lands, others have had their papers corrected,unless there is more than one claimant. Let it be a policy issue,not who the Commissioner knows or likes. But anyone who gets land illegally knowingly from now on can be penalized. But amnesty can be given to old cases like HH proposed. That is leadership.