Settlers of Luano National Forest in Chingola district have appealed to the President Edgar Lungu to offer them the 1,000 hectares of land they have occupied for more than 40 years.
Luano national forest is situated near the eastern part of Chingola, where more than 300 peasant farmers had settled to do farming activities.
Chingola District Commissioner (DC) Mary Chibesa and District Forest Officer Darius Angolwishe who visited the place to address them over the same, found thousands of people chanting Patriotic Front (PF) slogans saying “fintu ni Lungu sonta epowabomba” all things is for Lungu, point where you had worked.
Residents said they also want to be pointing where they have settled and doing agriculture because that is what they depend on.
[pullquote]Government should consider human beings first than keeping the land dormant when people have no land for cultivation[/pullquote]
Luano 12 chairperson Harrison Mwansa told the civic leaders that residents are crying for land which they had settled for many years and through the DC they are on knees asking the President to offer them the land since they have no alternative.
Mr Mwansa said since 2009 they had been asking for offer letters to own farm settlements but ever since nothing has been done.
After seeing no response for many years Mr Mwansa went to Lusaka last month and met PF general secretary Davis Mwila who advised him to present all concerns to the DC of Chingola who will do everything for them saying she cannot fail.
He said Luano 12 has eight cooperatives that every year exhibit at district agriculture show and that feeds people in the urban area.
“As the mother of this district we are on our knees, most of this land is occupied by widows, orphans, disabled, unemployed and retired people, hence a need to be given land” Mr Mwansa said.
Mr Mwansa said Government should consider human beings first than keeping the land dormant when people have no land for cultivation” Mr Mwewa said.
However, the DC assured the residents to that she will present all complaints tabled to her to the higher authorities in a short period of time because PF Government under Edgar Chagwa Lungu is a listening Government.
“As at now continue staying and do farming the way you have been doing I will be back together with my team to tell you the outcome after presenting all your complaints ” Ms Chibesa said.
Ealier the District Forest Officer Darius Angolwishe made clear it to the residents that the land is still in Government’s hand and he has no proof of documents allowing people to settle in the national forest of Chingola district.
Mr Angolwishe said Luano national forest had 16,000 hectares and 8,000 hectares has been given to people in form of settlement farms.
“It is up to the Government to hear the demand from the residents who would want to be offered the 1,000 land they had settled for many years” Mr Angolwishe said.
Mr Angolwishe urged residents not to start selling land which has not yet given to them.’If found the law will take its cause, because we had been receiving information that the land is been sold to other people.’ he said.
And Munsenga ward aspiring councilor on PF ticket Dickson Mwewa appealed to the Government to offer land to the residents because its what they depend on to feed their families and pay school fees for the children.
Mr Mwewa said the rate of poverty, unemployment and robbery can increase if residents will be removed from the places they have established already.
He said small scale farmers that had occupied the area in question supplies people in the urban area of Chingola and land will be granted to them they will utilize it to the fullest.
“Government should consider giving 1,000 hectares of land to residents of Luano 12 because they are Zambians and hardworking people who keep orphans, widows and paying for school fees” Mr Mwewa said.
A widow Mary Kabala 46, who walked towards the DCs table and lay down while clapping saying she has nowhere to go if she will be removed from where she has settled because she looks after 16 dependents among them are orphans.
“You are our mother! Please give us land where to feed our children and keep livestock to sustain us” Ms Kabala said.
The land is yours! Stop wasting your good farmer knees pleading for what’s your already. Now go and grow and corn!
This calls for a debate because if this is a National Forest and declared one then no one no one has the right to live there no matter the duration they’ve been there because it’s illegal to occupy land that is not yours. Now in terms of what they can do is a National Park offers employment in terms of tourism but that won’t happen with this i.diot in charge of this sector whom is du.ll as f.u.ck! Diversifying activities and maybe focusing on Eco tourists, adventurists to even having tree houses up in the trees can bring tourists to this area. This can create jobs. Setting up little shops for locals where tourists can buy products, having a place where tourists can cook in a safe way while buying local products can benefit locals. Most important forex in coming in generating more…
(continued) Most importantlt forex in coming in generating more wealth to communities. We call this Community Based Tourism.