LAND IS WEALTH

THERE must be something wrong with some Zambians who instead of taking advantage of incentives they are being given to improve their lot in life abuse and literary reject things they get on a silver plate. Reports emanating from Kalulushi are something that really should make one boil or seethe with anger at how some people fail to make use of opportunities that come their way. We are referring to the sad development in Kalulushi where more than 190 residents who were given land so that they could settle and engage in agricultural ventures are selling the same land to foreigners. It must indeed be very frustrating for the district leadership in Kalulushi who after going out of their way to find land for the residents now feel it was more like an exercise in futility. Kalulushi mayor Rashida Mulenga has confirmed that 197 residents who were given letters of offer in Ichimpe agricultural area were selling the same land to foreigners, barely two weeks after being offered the land. What makes sad reading is that the land they are selling is actually in a prime area that has been opened up with all the facilities in place – good road network, schools, health facilities and above all, water. It is land that if put to good use, could lift the people out of their poverty. They would not only grow enough food for their survival, but build decent shelter as opposed to living in rented houses. What is even more disappointing is that this land is being sold to foreigners – mostly Chinese – when there are Zambians who could have jumped at the chance to be offered land free where they could settle. We are not against foreigners settling in Zambia, but we do not subscribe to this tendency of wanting to grab land from disadvantaged Zambians by dangling a few Kwacha notes in front of their faces which they cannot resist. Foreigners, with their financial clout should be going into the hinterland and open them up to investments. That is how they could help develop the country – through infrastructure and employment creation. We must put a stop to this and we think the council is right that while it could not control or stop people from selling land to foreigners, it would not approve the change of use from agricultural to industrial use. In this way, we won’t have situations where a foreigner buys land in an agricultural settlement and immediately opens a trading shop stocked with cheap imported goods that add no value to the country’s development. As Ms Mulenga said, any piece of land which the local authority would give out as agricultural land should be used as agricultural land and not industrial land. It is time that Zambians realised the true value of land and learnt to appreciate ownership. Land is wealth and throughout history, wars have been fought over its ownership. The whole essence of the liberation struggles in Africa was not just about political independence but access and custody over land. People sacrificed their lives during the independence struggle so that future generations could take custody of the land and it would be a betrayal if the present generation does not appreciate their sacrifice. There is nothing more valuable in life than owning land.

PURSUING JUSTICE AND EQUITY WITH INTEGRITY