Friday, March 29, 2024

Forest 27 saga takes a new twist

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Government  says  it  is in the process of recommending for the re-gazetting   of the forest 27 as it is an important recharge area that needs protection.

The development means that each person who has constructed structures in the area will have to explain how they found themselves in the protected area.

Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources  Minister Elijah Muchima who disclosed when a Ministerial committee toured the forest 27 in Chongwe district that  despite being advised by the ad-hoc committee to stop their development activities in the area most individuals have remained adamant.

“ People who were told to halt the construction of their structures in the forest reserve have continued and that investigation by the ad hoc committee is still ongoing and a report on the matter has been received, “ said the minister.

He said Government needs to manage forest 27 because it can regenerate and be restored to its original form over the years.

However, it’s the area the elite in society have exploited to set up state of the art structure overlooking the environmental well-being of  the Capital City.

“This forest can still regenerate and restored to its original form and this is why as Government we want to see how best to handle this matter in order to protect the environment, ” Mr. Muchima.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Garry Nkombo has also urged Zambians to avoid buying land at the forest and doing so will be at their risk.

Mr NKombo noted that people who have constructed houses  in the forest will be invited to bring all their documents to find out the time they commenced construction of the structures either when the forest was de-gazetted or before the time of de-gazetting.

He said they will find out from the people who have constructed in the forest area what motivated them to commence developments in the forest area.

Mr Nkombo said all their development plans will be assessed to find out which authority gave them the right to build in the recharge area ( Forest 27)  and also to find out how they acquired the properties they have constructed.

“Anyone who is buying land now from forest 27 is doing it at his or her  own risk and is appealing to the local authority to stop approving any building plan in this area,” Mr Nkombo said.

He further advised the Ministry of Land to stop issuing any title deed to any person intending to construct a building in forest 27 until all the matters are addressed.

 Minister of Water Development and Sanitation Mike Mposha said the issue of forest 27 is still alive as they have been having inter- Ministerial meetings to address the matter concerning the challenge of the forest.

Mr Mpoha pointed out he is concerned with the damage that has been caused to Forest 27 because it is the recharge for Chalimbana River which is important for the people in Chongwe.

He said if nothing is done to protect forest 27 the province is going to have serious problems because the forest was earmarked as a recharge zone.

10 COMMENTS

  1. Forest 27 has just been a talking shop from the time they were in opposition, one year in government same story. We don’t want running commentaries, when a descision is finally passed come and tell us, your tourist visits every quarter to forest 27 is tiring, you have been there before

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  2. for the poor people they was nothing like they will be invited to bring all their documents bla bla bla you just went in and demolish there homes

  3. This Forest 27 is reminding me of that derelict building along Freedom Way… it became an eyesore that was talked about with every successive government. Later we learned it was allegedly a money-laundering scheme. Once the cancer of corruption takes root it just goes on farting with greedy laughter…

  4. Kasompe was not asked how she found herself there
    Kasompe was not tasked how to get out of there
    Human is actually Satan himself…. there’s no mystery about Satan because we live with him
    We send him to parliament
    We put him in state house.
    He’s got a sweet manipulative tounge

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  5. Please just raze those buildings down they can be offered alternative land those who have their paper work in order the rest will be sole chamwali….they must be no compensation so that the greedy learn a lesson we know many a UPnD member and carder also have land there hence squeezing number one each time Nkombo seeks to do the right thing…this will be a talking point during the next elections….

  6. Looting by lungu was not only on zambias coffers …………

    Even the environment was being looted by that corrupt fraud convict lawyer and his gangs………

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  7. The irony is………….

    There are many people who own hundreds of fenced off acres around Lusaka that are not important water shed or recharge areas for rivers ………….

    Those landlords should be compelled to sell off some land…….

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  8. “process of recommending”
    Why do they use this language why not just get on with its been 12 months already….if this was people in Chawama they would have moved in the bulldozers…I mean these rich guys have carried on with construction.

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  9. There are laws which government can use to reclaim land even that which is on title in national interest such as when building roads. They can use the same to get back forest 27. The only compensation will be for the actual structures built which will be valued by government surveyor and no compensation for the actual land.

  10. stop lying sir and be mindfull of what you say on air.Last time you said there is nothing you can do over forest 27 because it was de-gazatted by the the wonderfull mighty PF now you are changing your mind,so what are you trying to say?

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