Thursday, March 28, 2024

Government gives Squatters in Forest Reserve Farms Plots

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zambia-coat-of-armsGOVERNMENT has degazetted 2 147 hectares of Ichimpi Reserve Forest in Kalulushi District to offer 400 farm plots to squatters who had lived in that area for over 25 years ago.

Kalulushi District Commissioner Kenny Siachisumo announced the development at the meeting held in the area on Thursday.

Mr Siachisumo who led team of Government and council officials and accompanied by Kalulushi mayor Bishop Ben Mumba told squatters that President Edgar Lungu was aware of their plight, hence to sped up the process of degazetting the forest.

He said the Statutary Instrument (SI) of degazetting Ichimpi Reserve Forest was signed in 2007, but was a bit slow until President Edgar Lungu came to speed it up now.

“I am delighted today to announce to your that your President His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu has decided to degazette 2 147 out of 7 812 hectares to give you as farm plots. This means 400 people will benefit farm plots and title deed will be issued to you,”he said.

Mr Siachisumo said the works of demarcation would be done by officials from the departments of Forest, Agriculture and Council.

The DC further directed officers assigned to carry out demarcation works to be deligent and complete the process within 21 days so that even title deeds would be issued to would-be beneficiries.

“I am directing my officers that they work within the stipulated time frame of 21 days and I am expecting anything from them, but the best that they suppose to do,” he said.

And Kalulushi mayor Bishop Ben Mumba told residents that the Patriotic Front was just fulfilling its campaign promises of offering them pieces of land and titles deeds as that was the thing they were crying for for many years.

He recalled that when he was campaigning in the area ahead of 2011 elections before he even knew that he would be a mayor, he promised them that if PF was voted into power squatters would be allocated farm plots and title deeds.

“Today we are saying that 400 people here will benefit from farm plots and title deeds and they be never called as squatter,”he said.

MMD ward councillor Evaristo Mwalilino commended the PF Government and President Edgar Lungu to facilitate the process of degazetting the forest that had issues for many years.

Speaking on behalf of the squatters Bishop Moses Kawina said people in the area were extremely humble because they never expected that Ichimpi Forest Reserve would be degazetted.

The Ichimpi Reserve Forest has for many years been an issue and the case was once in court.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Ha! Indeed the squatters wanted land. But how come most of the CB MPs, councillors and PF functionaries and cadres have already got plots awaiting title deeds! It is the demand from party officials that has speeded up the degazetting of the forest and not the 400 squatters. Zambia is on the sure path to complete desertification because of the party officials.

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