Chief Kapatamoyo of the Ngoni People in Chipata district in Eastern Province has given government a five-day ultimatum in which to remove a farm owner of farm D115 claiming that the farm is part of his chiefdom.
The visibly annoyed Chief who was stormed the office of Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Eularia Mwale accused both the provincial and district administrations of being reluctant to resolve the matter.
Chief Kapatamoyo threatened that he would use his powers as Chief to remove Kabililka Nkhengwe who had been holding title of the 800 hectares of the land in question since 1975.
He stated that it was sad that people at Wachepa village where over fifty houses were demolished continued to sleep under trees for one month.
[pullquote]“I am willing to die for my people like Muammar Gaddafi of Libya who died for the love of his people, if government does not do anything I will send my Impis (soldiers) to kick Nkhwengwe out of the area,” he said.[/pullquote]
“I will not allow my people to continue suffering, I will use everything I possibly can to ensure that my people are not chased away from that land because they have lived there all their lives and even their forefathers are buried in the same village,” he said.
The chief who also claimed that three children in the area had died from Malaria as they were sleeping in the open without sleeping under nets, also stated that he was willing to die for the welfare of his subjects because he had the heart for the people.
“I am willing to die for my people like Muammar Gaddafi of Libya who died for the love of his people, if government does not do anything I will send my Impis (soldiers) to kick Nkhwengwe out of the area,” he said.
Police and bailiffs on October 13, razed down the houses of the squatters as they were executing a court order following resistance to vacate the farm which was on title.
But Permanent Secretary Eularia Mwale said government was doing everything possible to resolve the issue though it could not defy the court order to remove the squatters from the area.
Mrs. Mwale disclosed that government had offered to purchase 400 hectares of land in question which was to be done after the area was surveyed.
She stated that the chief did not allow the surveyors to survey the land; a situation which she said was delaying the process.
The Permanent Secretary also revealed that government was willing to provide tents and relief food to the affected villagers only when they were relocated to other areas as the Law did not permit the provision of the two on illegal settlement.
Mrs. Mwale said government was willing to provide tents and foods to the squatters for eight months to allow them settle down after the demolition of their dwellings.
Over fifty families of Chief Kapatamoyo’s were made homeless after a combined team of bailiffs and Zambia Police officers demolished their houses at Nkhengwe farm which is about 13 kilometers away from Chipata town on the Chipata/Lundazi road where they were squatting.
ZANIS
