Lands Minister Jean Kapata has ordered the arrest of all Ndola City Council (NCC) employees who initiated the charge sheet that was used in illegal land allocation.
Ms Kapata said the charge sheets was an act of illegality as they contravened Circular 1 of 1985 on the law governing land.
She said in Ndola on Monday when she addressed a consultative meeting between the Ministery of Lands, Copperbelt Ministry, City Council Management, Members of Parliament and Councillors.
Ms Kapata said the council management and the ministry have resolved to prosecute the affected officers because they issued charge sheets illegally and had since been declared null and void.
The NCC will however, continue to only provide supervisory work because its status of land agency and administration was still withdrawn though the local authority has applied to have the status restored.
She said those involved would be prosecuted as the procedure was illegal adding that there were some people who had been offered charge sheets and had paid the money through the council’s ZANACO bank account with the money being transferred directly to the council
account.
Ms Kapata said the council could not refund all those that had paid money into the local authority’s account after being issued with charge sheets as the money was paid directly to them.
She however ordered that the council conduct a land audit to compensate those that had already paid but did not have land.
It was also resolved that the council, ZAFFICO and other parties should work together unlike was the case before to avoid a repeat of
the situation.
She said that people offered land near railway lines, ZESCO pylons, Kafubu water banks would have their titles cancelled as others had built sewer pipes that diverted into the river which posed a danger of water borne diseases outbreak.
Ms Kapata added that illegality could not continue to be promoted and that there was need to restore sanity in the allocation of land.
“We have reached a consensus and found where the problem was and the issues of illegality of land in Ndola will be thing of the past. If NCC abides by what has been agreed in the meeting, the reinstating of the agency has conditions. We want to be satisfied as a ministry that NCC is able to operate on its own but for now land administration remains with the ministry until further notice,” Ms Kapata said.
“We have given our colleagues what to do and we hope they can do it as quickly as possible then we can meet and give them back their agency,”
she said.
Ms. Kapata has further tasked Ndola City Council to do a call on all those with charge sheets and paid money to The Local Authority to come forward to the Council so that the Local Authority may do a head count adding that those who made payments be relocated.
She has also tasked the Local Authority to do a land audit and provide her a report in the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, Ms. Kapata has refused to grant the Local Authority’s application and reinstate its land agency which was revoked mid this year.
She said she will only reinstate the land agency to the authority if it managed to keep its house in order.
However, she emphasised that the Council still held its administrative role to supervise all building works.
This is what ministers should be doing. This is indeed commendable. Well done Madam Kapata, prosecute this minions and let their friends learn some serious lessons. Now Kampyongo should also be disciplined for corruption as well. Receiving three brand new vehicles on silver plater is a crime that cannot be left just like that. Don’t just prosecute junior officers let the big guns feel the full weight of the law as well.
Do you a minister to instruct of arrest only when it suits her…go to countries with independent secruity wings and see how its done!!
This is a toothless bully dog. As lands minister she have to list all those Council workers she want them to be arrested and hand the name list to the police. Yapping on the streets will NOT yard anything.
This should be expanded to all other councils. Let all officers in all councils learn and beware that violating regulations and rules has consequences. And rather than transfer wrong doers to other areas, fire them (particularly the very senior officers). Its one of the ways we can help combat corruption and fraud within the government administration and other government institutions. The sad part about our government officials is when making corrections to mistakes that have been made is, they do too little too late. And many times the corrective measures are incomplete
well done madam, that’s a good move. you need recommendations.
Commendable!
This is unfair, why make examples of any one involved in corruption when lungu is up to his neck in allegations of corruption.. ..he is being called a theif everyday.. ….deal with that first.
“Lands Minister Jean Kapata has ordered the arrest of all Ndola City Council (NCC) employees”….
As the one that is ultimately responsible, Jean Kapata is the one that should be arrested. Where was she when all these illegal land allocations were taking place? Enjoying her Ministerial pay and corrupt deals instead of doing the job!
And is she now in charge of the Police Force too that she can order people arrested? This stinks of high level CORRUPTION and for sure she is also involved.
In the right mind framework, how could could one be allocated a plot under
an electricity pylon or next to the river bank?
This espouses the indiscipline and level of degradation our local authority is in.
Heads should indeed row in this matter.
Pf government is a serious party.
Can can lungu’s government arrest people who seem to be corrupt???
To answer that question check ba lungu’s government track record, one would think we are a corruption free nation. Conclusion is it’s either we are led by thieves or thieves are paying off our leaders to ignore the act.
This is long due. Tough action against Land issues must be carried out as examples and as a dawn of a new day in Zambia.
Local Authorities should not be Crime Syndicates. Do not reinstate authority to these councils.
It should be Life a sentence.
Monkey see monkey do , tell the humble leader to stop stealing or deny the allegations against him and people will follow….
Little education can be dangerous
The minister actually means well and must be supported by all law abiding Ndola residents. However, inspite of all this effort some unscrupulous people as am writing ‘re busy constructing in those restricted areas. There is a place in near Misundu road between ZESCO power line and the railway line near chipulukusu. People are right now constructing near the railway line with full knowledge of Ndola city council