Some farmers in Mufulira district on the Copperbelt Province have charged that the local authority is incompetent in addressing land disputes in the area.
Mukuba Farmers Representative Joseph Mwandira told the Justice Frederick Chomba led legal and justice sector reforms commission sitting in Mufulira that the council has failed to address land encroachment by invaders from Kitwe district.
Mr Mwandira said Mufulira Council has failed to discharge its municipal responsibilities and has been giving excuses as to why it is failing to resolve land issues.
He charged that the local authority has defied ministerial orders to resolve land disputes between Kitwe and Mufulira residents.
He said Minister of Local Government and Housing Steven Kampyongo when he was in the district with his deputy Panji Kaunda and Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge directed the local authority should address the illegal land dealings.
Mr Mwandira wondered why the council has failed to give them title deeds for farms it allocated to them 17 years ago.
He pointed out that farmers in the area have invested heavily and fear losing their investments and farm property.
However Justice Frederick Chomba urged farmers to engage the lands tribunal to help address their concerns over the land disputes.
And Commissioner Ernest Beele urged appropriate authorities in government to address the boundary issues between the neighbouring towns.
This is so true.
Not only is there incompetence, but the officers are extremely corrupt.
I have experienced this with the people there.
Zambian gov’ts since independence have FAILED MISERABLY to open up the possibility of creating real wealth and stability for their citizens. Owning your own property is the beginning of civilisation process by a gov’t on its people, otherwise we still live in Caves owned by the gov’t. Zambia is a serial abuser of Human Rights in relation to Land and Home ownership. We the people live in essentially a Feudal landlord system where we pay huge sums for our lands, but never own them because of the lack of Freeholds. Now things can’t be worse, people are ignoring our gov’t and the laws of Zambia and are just shooting it out over ownership of properties they can never really own in any case.
It’s just shocking what is happening in Zambia. I just wrestled my parents properties off Uncles, Aunts and their children after they invaded our properties after parents deceased. 3 weeks in Zambia and I had to find creative ways to cease my properties which come to me 100% as the only child of my parents. Am I getting any help from officials!! NO! A trip to the City Council was an eye opener. LISTEN CRAZY GOV’t of the day, break the past abuses and start showing us you are different from last gov’ts. STEP ON IT and get property matters and. Rimes dealt with!
Obviously, I have woken up on the wrong side of my bed this morning!! But sometimes being positive on Zambia is tiresome. Why us there such difficulty in managing peopl’s rights?.
Cup of tea ……I think!
The Mukuba farm block issue I agree the council has done very little.Bounderies have been changing all the time and it is a very difficult situation.