PRESIDENT Lungu has directed Minister of Local Government and Housing Stephen Kampyongo to work closely with chiefs in the management of land.
Mr Lungu said the illegal land acquisition and construction of structures have adversely affected the development of the country for a long time.
The President was speaking in Chongwe when he made an impromptu visit at Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya’s palace yesterday.
He said there is need for consultation between chiefs and local government to ensure planned development.
“Everybody must follow the procedure in the acquisition of land. We do not want to encourage wrong-doing with an understanding that Government will normalise the process,” President Lungu said.
He said he does not support illegalities.
“We would love to have planned movements to avoid future challenges of demolitions. That way we can provide water, electricity and other services required on a piece of land,” President Lungu said.
He assured Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya that he would follow up the implementation of the electronic voucher (e-voucher) system with the Ministry of Lands to address the challenges being faced.
“I have heard the feedback, I will follow up with the ministry officials to see how service delivery can be improved,” President Lungu said.
He said the system is bound to have hiccups, but timely feedback can help improve it as it is a pioneer initiative.
“When you ask them how they acquired the land, all they say is that they have already built and that Government will legalise the process,” Chieftainess Nkomeshya said.
Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya told President Lungu that she is having a lot of pressure because Chongwe district is slowly becoming like Lusaka.
She said many people are drifting into the district and using money to acquire land illegally.
“When you ask them how they acquired the land, all they say is that they have already built and that Government will legalise the process,” Chieftainess Nkomeshya said.
She also complained about challenges in the implementation of the e-voucher system, saying the process is cumbersome.
Chieftainess Nkomeshya said the e-voucher package consists of only four bags of fertiliser and does not cater for seed.
“But we need seed because it is a staple food. Government should consider including it in the coming season,” she said.
And President Lungu also visited Chongwe District Hospital, where he presented gifts to the eight newly born Christmas babies.
He encouraged the mothers to take good care of the babies and take advice seriously from health personnel.
President Lungu later told journalists that Christmas is a day for showing love to one another.
He said prisoners and the sick are important to everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“For those who have decided to commercialise Christmas, it is their own problem,” President Lungu said.
He returned to Lusaka late in the afternoon.
Releasing such big number of dangerous criminals at a single minute will compromise security in the country. The current spate of robberies are being commited by these same people who bribe prison warders or pretend to have reformed and yet their inner spirits are that of a devil. General Kanene is such a bad example of how some ex prisoners keep on repeating their past deeds. ECL, these people wont win you elections in 2016.
Lungu wants to listen to people’s concern. There is nothing wrong with that. His stance must be appreciated on this issue.
Implementing programs don’t just happen over night. There is always bumpy roads. Nothing works Automatically.
Lungu is not using draconian rules to release prisoners. He is using the Constitution and Executive Powers to pardon prisoners.
Besides, we have a lot of people in prisons with petty cases who must be given chances to rebuild their lives. This includes people who were wrongly prosecuted or faced injustices.
If this was HH doing this; the very people condemning Lungu will be praising HH.
When HH or if HH becomes president; he will have the same Executive Powers to pardon prisoners. Nothing wrong with that too.
When we object, we must not…
When we object, we must not do it from hateful point of view. Hate destroys. Love always builds.
Ba LT
Can you do me a favor? Publish the job descriptions of all Ministers and their deputies?
It appears to me these guys are always directed on what to do. Does not seem like there is ever an expectation with directives. Please educate me!
Ba Lungu belalanda sana pacitemwiko (LOVE). He is now talking of live one another because he is celebrating xmas, but when his PF cadres go round beating, brutally treating people, killing and intimidating them, he has failed to say anything. Now he has release a huge number of criminals who will start terrorising the opposition leaders to kill them so that he wins elections. NO! to Mugabe formular……we’re Zambians!
BA mulenga two wrongs can never make a right,president Lungu has realised prisoners with his mercy believing that these guys should change and correct the past mistakes and to any meaningful Zambian citizen who has been pardoned should learn to appreciate what president Lungu has done.its not about wining votes but just to feel for others in terms of need infact it is biblically to remember the prisoners,they are people like us some of them made a slight mistake and found themselves behind bars also mind that prison is for all at any given time u can find yourself there!so appeal to my brothers and sisters who have been pardoned please behave well so that society can welcome u without victimization or segregation’s.consider the suffering u under gone all u need is change for the better…
Ba Allan,
If what you say is true, then ba Lungu balufyanya. Pantu ishi mbifi tashasange ncito. You know what happens when people can’t find jobs, they become a menace to society. Where they were, at least, they were housed and being fed. Unemployment was not an issue. Now add 500 to the 4000 retrenched by the mines. It is not going to be easy. Abalumend ba ma gate na ma lock nabo imitengo ati global. Ni mwaculeni!
Elyo bible nayo. Tekuti all of us twaba muchifungo ca kwa lesa. Umufyashi wesu, Adam asuminishe mayo ukuyaiba embe. God condemned us to perpetual suffering. Until we do our time. Teti atubeleleko uluse sure!? Awe.
Believe it or not, Lungu is ignating civil war in Zambia. He is directing Kampyongo to work with Chiefs on land, when some of the chiefs are the ones encouraging foreigners to buy big potions so that they also gain from the same lands. Local people have suffered diplacements just because of the selfish chiefs supporting foreigners for them to be provided for. Go to Sinazongwe and see how people are intimidated by Zambeef company, all this is because of the dont care type of a chief.
The problem with some opposition u just blem anything that president lung does why are u so negative about the realise of prisoners?even hh if he was a president he would do the same cos its constitutional.how can the head of state plan to release people from prison to come and kill or beat opposition?its not true let us be objective in the manner we debate.bitterness will cost u just do your part the rest live them to the almighty God.
I find communication to be a very big challenge between government and chiefs and also laws that govern land should be revised so that it can be shared equally to the beneficials who are the citizens of this country.they are no proper Channels to use when u want to acquire land more especially when u are poor just to go 30*30 plot its a big issue but to those with money ? it’s easy to give them hacters of land on the expense of a poor woman like.president data may his soul rest in peace by then sitting president directed commissioner of land to allocate land to women’s but when we applied we couldn’t be given land at all as directed but people who never applied were given by way of back door.its not good
In Namwala some opposition leader has grabbed Land from poor people and people are very bitter.The hypocrisy by some politicians that they want to come to power so that they could protect and provide for the poor people is a lie.Zambians should wake up and not fall prey to some of these leaders who pretend like they are going to be saviors…….In my objective view,we are better with Lungu as President than these pretenders.Sata made a wise decision to leave power with this humble,frank and hard working man of God.He is just human of course and does not pretend.
Where are the NGOs to protect the people ? They are busy waffling talking about constitution constitution,constitution where Lungu has already scored……why ? Talk about real issues about Land,food etc which directly affects our people.
NGO bakawalala fye
I don’t like so much chagwa but after a second thought i think this guy is hard working.
Local authorities administer land on behalf of Ministry of Lands. This instruction should have been to Christabel Ngimbu who’d liase with Kampyongo. It’s this lack of knowledge & clear direction by the drunk that’s creating the confusion we see everywhere.
That is Lazy Bum Lungu for you his leadership is all about directives …instead of giving policy direction!!
He is only good at giving directive not policies because he is clueless,visionless,brainless and useless with a worm puffed stomach.
i owes say ba opposition should not be blinded by negativity or else it will cost u next year again just like it has owes done…. lets be objective in our debates and not debate with emotions high and run away from issues like th UPND MPs who moved away from parliament wen issues wea hot. ruth and tom i agree with u n tom thnk for coming out and say th truth,,,, we are beta off with lungu than with kitchen politicians who want to pretend that they will come and change the lives of zambians once there in power without telling us how there going to do it and instead endup turnishing th image of lungu…. one thing ba opposition shud understand is that in as much as things may be tough, there is no overnait solution and infact team Lungu is doing everything possible to ensure our lives…