Govt to reposses controversial HH land

GOVERNMENT is to repossess the communal grazing land acquired by UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema if it is established that it was not illegally obtained. Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Jean Kapata has forthwith instituted investigations and sent a team to Namwala to establish the source of conflict between MR Hichilema and locals from over 600 villages. Mr Hichilema has reportedly acquired over 1500 hectares of land from some headmen through an agent, leaving more than 600 villages without grazing land for their livestock. “We have instituted investigations into the land dispute involving the opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema and once found wanting, the land will be given back to the community,” Lands and Natural Resources Minster Jean Kpata has warned. In an interview with the Daily Nation, Ms Kapata said according to the Land Act, the Ministry of Lands was only allowed to give land up to 1,000 hectares and anything above that was illegal. Ms Kapata said land inspectors from Southern Province were al- ready on the ground investigating on how Mr Hichilema obtained such a huge land and Government will not tolerate people taking advantage of the poor in society because of their political affiliation in society. Ms Kapata said Government would ensure justice prevailed in the matter and would not shield anyone abrogating law with impunity. Ms Kapata said once the investigations of the land in question were concluded, she would ensure that the land was given back to the owners, the villagers. She said Zambians would not become destitute in their own country due to some selfish leaders with no agenda for the Zambians, especially the poor. She however sent a warning to people who were still allocating land illegally to immediately, stop, adding she would not allow politicians using money to displace people. “We have since instituted investigations in the matter regarding the acquisition of the communal grazing land by the opposition leader Mr Hichilema in Namwala Southern province and once the investigations are over will give back the land to the rightful owners who are villagers. Government will not allow politicians to grab land from people because they were poor, but to ensure justice prevailed,” said Ms Kapata. And President Edgar Lungu is saddened that some politicians who want to be national leaders are now grabbing property and land from poor Zambians, which should not be the case. Over 600 village in Namwala district have been left without grazing land for their animals after some headman gave Mr Hichilema, over 1,500 hectares of land which has now been fenced off against Government orders. The Daily Nation investigation in Namwala revealed that aMr Hichilema has fenced off communal grazing despite various meetings held resolved that the land belonged to the community and that it should never be fenced off. According to Headman Wine Lukosha, some headman had given the land to Mr Hichilema’s agent only identified as Fexon after receiving K8,000. However, Chief Mukobela had advised the headman to refund the agent because no one could sell communal land used for grazing by the community. Namwala district Commissioner, Mary Sakala, told the Daily Nation crew that visited the area that the problem started in 2012 and in 2015, it was resolved that there would be no fencing as the land in question was communal.