Thursday, March 28, 2024

Land ownership for Zambians only,It’s a sovereign right – Dr.Chanda

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Ruth Mwitwa and Gloria Kango were convicted of criminal trespass for being on land they have lived and farmed for decades, and now belongs to a commercial farmer. They were sentenced to three months’ imprisonment
Ruth Mwitwa and Gloria Kango were convicted of criminal trespass for being on land they have lived and farmed for decades, and now belongs to a commercial farmer. They were sentenced to three months’ imprisonment

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE

Land ownership for Zambians only

Patriotic Front (PF) Bwana Mkubwa Constituency Member of Parliament Hon. Dr Jonas Chanda has said Zambia urgently needs a strong land policy framework which ensures that land ownership with tittle deeds must be a preserve and a sovereign right of Zambians only, while foreign individuals and investors must sub-lease or rent land from Zambians.

And Dr Chanda said Zambians must realise that Zambia’s land mass of 752,614 square kilometres was limited and God was no longer in the business of “creating new land” for countries that mismanaged their land and natural resources. Once misused none of the surrounding 8 neighboring countries would donate any extra land to Zambia.

[pullquote]Once misused none of the surrounding 8 neighboring countries would donate any extra land to Zambia[/pullquote]

Dr Chanda further reiterated that there was no meaningful economic development without land. Among the three economic factors of production (Land, Labour and Capital), only Land outlived the other two, hence the reason why even the history of warfare shows that countries go to was mainly for two reasons – LAND and TRADE.

Dr Chanda made these remarks in Parliament yesterday in support of the Budget Vote for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in the 2018 Budget.

Absence of land policy framework and need for a revised land act and policy

Dr Chanda thanked His Excellency President Edgar Lungu for his relentless push for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to bring a Revised Land Act Policy to Cabinet and Parliament urgently, and reminded the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources of the Presidential addresses to Parliament on National Values and Principles (March 2017) and Official Opening of the current session of Parliament (September 2017) when the President categorically directed the Ministry to finalise the revised Land Act and Policy in order to prevent Zambians from having a landless future and living like refugees in their own country.

He further said the weak LAND ACT (1995) and Zambia’s lack of a Land Policy Framework has created a policy vaccum in land management, leading to the chaos and corruption that was rampant in the land sector. Dr Chanda also said lack of a Land Policy Framework makes it difficult to address problems of pressure for land caused by population increase and land grabs and displacements of Zambians by foreign entities.

Dr Chanda asked the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to heed President Lungu’s called for a Revised Land Act Policy to safeguard the interests of Zambians in the Land Sector.

Auditor Generals report on land management system

Dr Chanda also cited the latest Auditor General’s Report titled “Report of the Auditor General on governments effort to ensure access to land in an effective manner” which has revealed very troubling findings in the Land Sector below:

  1. Criteria used in allocation of Land is in conflict with the objective of equitable access to land by ordinary citizens – the wealthy are favoured while the less privileged are marginalised
  2. Increased cases of double allocation of plots in all councils
  3. Failure to implement Government policy of 2010 on women empowerment by accessing 30% of all land advertised
  4. Failure to decentralise functions resulting in delays in processing offer letters and title deeds
  5. Rampant encroachment of land earmarked for development
  6. There is no land policy, hence the failure to secure rights over land and to provide for sustainable socio-economic development, investment and the reduction of poverty.
  7. Lack of monitoring activities on land alienation carried out by Councils (Land agency and monitoring

    Corrupt Land Cartels

    Dr Chanda also pointed out corrupt land cartels involving some council and Ministry of Lands officials in collusion with some “party cadres” who were issuing “Charge Sheets” haphazardly including for land already belonging to other people, resulting in endless CONFLICT. He expressed disappointment that despite calls for the arrest and prosecution of those criminal elements, none of them has faced the wrath of the law.

    Sale of land to foreign entities and displacement of Zambians without compensation

    Dr Chanda also condemned the sale of huge tracts of land to foreign entities by some unpatriotic Zambians, resulting in displacement of hundreds of Zambians without compensation from land they had occupied for years contrary to the rule of law. Dr Chanda cited the sale of land occupied by over 5,000 residents at Old Regiment compound in Bwana Mkubwa Constituency in Ndola to an Oil Marketing Company and other “dealers” who even obtained an eviction notice from court to evict the residents from land they had occupied and built on since 1963.

    Dr Chanda also cited the impunity of another foreign national “oil dealer” in Bwana Mkubwa Constituency who had demolished houses being built by Zambians on a disputed piece of land for which both parties are claiming ownership even when the matter is before the Courts of Law! Dr Chanda said these actions were contrary to the Patriotic Front (PF) Manifesto which states that the PF government will NOT allow displacement of poor Zambians from land by rich urban elites or foreign investors.

40 COMMENTS

  1. And who gives the land to the chinese and other foreigners. Who is the political party in power in the government of zambia that permits these transfer of lands.
    Who will invest in zambia if there is no opportunity for security of tenure for an investor,
    Investors dont just come in an say thats my land get off. The government of the day says to the investor this is what you can have , pay the fee and develop.
    We get back to the government of the day being responsible.
    Talker you are Dr.

    • As one article on LT once pointed out government is NOT one person.There are hundreds of civil servants who make decisions that though seemingly insignificant ,collectively cause tremendous ramifications. Here we have one PF MP pointing out an important issue,there is no need bundling him up with corrupt civil servants or MPs just because he falls under the PF umbrella. Lets support his idea and add voice to it. We need stronger Land laws in Zambia.I don’t care which party or tribe points that out.We need to be united on this because one day we might wake up and find that our land is owned by China ,Australia ,South Africa etc.

    • 1 Just come back and see how Zambians are selling land government gave them free of charge to foreigners. In Chililabombwe land was sold to a Somali national who has since put up a fuel station there. There were protests but the Somali simply produced the letters of transactions and the case was forgotten. Government should put clauses which inhibits individuals from selling land to foreigners. But then again we shall protest against such a law.

    • for a party that claims to be pro poor, this should have been first priority, but first thing they thought about was more taxation through toll gates.

    • PF Govt was voted bcoz Sata lied that he would chase Chinese. Today Chinese other foreigners own up to 35% of the land. Prices of plots are now unaffordable to locals.

      Zambia has no excuse as we could have learnt from the land issue in Zimbabwe & RSA.

    • Stop this nonsensical talk! you are inciting xenophobia Every human being has the right to succeed and own land wherever they want.

    • The 1995 Land Act must be revised by the legislature. It’s not and must not be the duty of Ministry of Lands to review and revise the 1995 Act.

      The law must be very clear as to the kind and total size of land a foreigner can hold title to. For instance it stipulate no more than 4000sqm of land zoned residential. All other zones are a preserve of Zambian citizens.

      This is a new concept requiring that Parliament leads the way with a law, before the situation degenerates into the second Cha Cha Cha.

  2. Thanks Dr. Chanda, THIS IS RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP,POINTING OUT WRONGS IN THE GOVERNANCE OF THE COUNTRY REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS COMING FROM!! Let us just hope this “agitation” for PROPER LAND ADMINISTRATION WILL PICK THE MOMENTUM TO BRING UP EFFECTIVE CHANGE!!

  3. On this I totally support you Dr Chanda. Zambians must have title whilst foreigners must have leasehold. I was equally saddened by the picture surrounding this story, they jailed Zambians who have occupied the land for decades in favour of a commercial farmer!!! That should never happen. That magistrate/Judge needs re-education on who is Zambian!!!!

  4. I love the fact that this land issue is now being discussed before it reaches gear 9. The first step (tabling it in parliament) taken is very vital. Lets put a stop to this careless selling of land to foreigners!

  5. This is troubling. The fact that non performing Ministers like Kapata and Simukoko are not being reshuffled is veritable proof that the man has more skeletons than what has been revealed in his closet. Even your own MPs are refusing to be blind bootlickers but choose to speak out tells you the calamitous situation which we have evolved in. It’s a mess.

  6. How long are we going to talk.The time to act is NOW!Govt must immediately ban the sale of land to forigners.Bench mark from Botswana where foreigner not allowed to buy or own land unless through a registered company.Land is never sold.You buy the development on the land .
    Zambians lets us arise and force the curent govt. to immediately ban the sale of land.Our children in 10 years time will be forigners in their own country.

  7. We all know that chieftainess who doesnt give title to Zambians in her chiefdom even when they mean to use it for activities which will benefit the country. Who is she holding it for because her people will remain poor if they dont have the security to do anything on the land?

  8. I totally agree with Dr Chanda, Bututu, kabili Bupuba to give Land to foreigners, and even allow them to resale Zambia land….Resale of land should be the preserve of only Zambian, it should be very illegal/if not a taboo for a foreigner to resale Zambian Land. Its a NEVER…..

  9. Dr. Chanda I also totally support you. An MP Who cares for Zambians. God bless you. God has given each nation its own Land, and why should some one leave China, Britain, America and come to Zambia to buy Land? where will our Children to come settle. Dr. Chanda press Parliament to support your idea. This did not come from yourself but the thought was from God.

    • Must you douse every issue in religion?
      There are so many things happening in Zambia that are not right. They have been going on for years and what’s your Jesus doing about them? Watching with folded arms. If you don’t act, your Jesus ain’t coming to get your land back for you. Ask Zombaweans. Ask South Africans. All the praying didn’t help. Not helping.

      Religious orgs are coming into the country buy land in the name of their ministry and turn around put it in their personal names. In the meantime you and your Lord are watching poor Zambians being displaced from their ancestral lands without compensation. What good is his lordship?

    • Spot on , our children will ask us that why didnt we put a stop after 10 years when the land will be completely in the hands of foreigners.

  10. Land Law can be subjected to rigorous study and useful reforms could then be formulated and implemented. Reform is necessary in every area of legislation. There is no need to boast about nationals owning more land than foreigners. What is needed is to protect ownership of title deeds. In this way, a win-win situation is established. The participation of foreign investors in African farming is a result of deficit in necessary capital and skills. The moral argument without industrial capacities to back them would lead to certain disaster.

    • What has happened to the Land Policy that has been in the works for more than year now. All we ever hear is that it is being worked on but this work doesnt seem to finish. We need it out now.

  11. To be forewarned is to be forearmed! The land issue is a ticking time bomb in mother Zambia. Time to act is now. Ownership of land, with title, should be the preserve of Zambians, and only Zambians! Everyone else, foreign individual or corporate entity/company, should be allowed to hold land strictly on leasehold; and that, for no more than 50 years!

  12. Land should be given to Zambians period.Ba Lungu listern and remove Kapata from ministry of lands.She is just clueless.She is the one who even sold animals when she was a minister of tourism.A woman who can’t think about the nation awe tecisuma.I thought women woud do better than men alas ba Kapata bena chipongwefye.go to europe land is not sold to individuals who are foreigners unless buying a house.In Russia foreigners can’t own any anything maybe a car.Please African Leaders wake up and stop loving money.U’re destroying the countries and future generation.Why do u want to sell yo country as if you’ll won’t die?Think about children,we are just passing by on this earth.You’ll never go into grave with the land and money pipo.Foreigners are foreigners period.God never made a mistake…

  13. Thanks name Chanda means Royalty. Uwa ku bufumu. Owner of a very big expanse of land. So all Chandas out there get plots before the Chinese finish our land. I know you have customary land but now get it registered by the state by getting a Title.

    Ok, I mean let’s Zambians get your plots. The investors (Infestors) can only patner with us. Chao

  14. Poor land policies were implemented by late president Mwanawansa, even , permitting the Americans to come SEEK a strategic place to build up a Military BASE.which is now in highburg kabulonga . Remember how HIPC completion came in a being.

  15. Listen my people i like PF but if you touch my Land kwamungule sobwe heads will roll. Ayi Baswamashi imwe buluya! ukoooooooo

  16. If Xenophic actions will keep our land in Zambian hands, the I love xenophobia. There is no reason why we must give or sell land to any other human being unless the person is Zambian by birth. Thos *****s who think that foreigners must be rewarded with land when they come into Zambia with cash, they are wrong. Let the foreigners go somewhere else wih their money. THEY must come into our country on our terms. We must educate our kids so that they mast all the necessary skills here and abroad to become better custodians of this country. Sad that Lungu and his lunatics are not honest leaders. They have trashed this country worse than rapists.

  17. I strongly agree with Dr Chanda why can’t we lean from Botswana? Any foreign investors should parten with a loucko ,And this way Zambians will be empowered And once empowered less crupption .The pro poor will make sense

  18. Who is even questioning that Land must be owned by Zambians only?
    F#@KING FOREIGNERS. THEY ARE HERE TO RAPE OUR LAND AND LEAVE US WITH ROTTEN PU$$Y.
    This is our land and only land for Zambians.
    Let us protect it for our future generations.
    UNDEBATABLE . . . .!!!!

  19. These are the heated debates on Facebook by one Zambian guy with Trophy Hunters occupying land and territory in Zambia. They were calling him uneducated and ignorant. This gentleman told them of to the point they stopped the threats. Sometimes ama buku yalaboma sana. These whites really think Africans are primitive. Well they just met ishoko! Go on Facebook and look up Zambia WildlifePreservation. Even the tourism minister or Zambia Tourism Board cannot come close to this chap! This is what we need in Zambia not ba PF or UPND!

  20. Totally agree with you Honorable like mikango kabweza Chanyanya lands in senior chieftaines Nkomeshyas chiefdom

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