Land encroachment on Government institutions’ land worrying

Stakeholders in Gwembe district, Southern Province have expressed concern on what they termed ’high’ levels of land encroachment especially in learning institutions and hospitals.

Stakeholders say schools in Gwembe have been encroached by people who have built structures on land belonging to schools.

This came to light in Gwembe during a meeting dubbed, “School titling and deeds”.

The participants who attended the stakeholder meeting feel State and Traditional land should clearly be defined and interpreted to avoid people from building structures such as shops or houses.

Gwembe District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Benson Zemba said primary schools should have five hectares (ha) of land, basic school 15 ha while a secondary school should sit on 25 hectarage piece of land.

Mr. Zemba lamented that the situation is not as it is today because of encroachers that have allegedly taken away part of land.

The DEBS cited Chipepo Secondary School that has been encroached by people.

The stakeholders resolved that Gwembe District Council as a local authority as well as Chief Chipepo and Munyumbwe counterpart should be involved so that boundaries are properly secured.

A resolution was further passed that all schools, district hospital should be allocated title deeds to deter would-be-encroachers.

District Commissioner Timothy Siakaziba who also attended the meeting disclosed that the Ministry of Lands in Lusaka has been notified over the need for schools and hospitals to be issued title deeds.

The meeting was attended by Council Chairperson Paul Chilala, Heads of Government departments and quasi institutions, church and non-governmental organization leaders.

Meanwhile, Chief Chipepo and Chief Munyumbwe pledged to give land in their respective chiefdoms in order to stir and open up Gwembe in line with the Seventh National Development Plan which is anchored on stimulating economic growth.