WE’RE REVERSING PF’S ILLEGAL LAND ALLOCATIONS - NKOMBO

GARY NKOMBO, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development yesterday told Parliament that the UPND administration was determined to reverse the allocation of common land and road reverses which he alleges was done by the Patriotic Front (PF).

Mr Nkombo said the sale of land by party cadres was common under the PF and in some cases, it involved leaders.

“At a time when we took over office, we found road reserves and common land sold. The PF found it fit to give out land and never took into consideration the future generation. These are the problems we are trying to resolve and solve.”

“It is just a matter of time, we will reverse what went wrong. We will get the land back. If we don’t reverse what the PF did, you can imagine how Lusaka will be in 40 years’ time when we are all gone,” the minister said. Mr Nkombo was responding to a question by Andrew Tayengwa, the Kabwata UPND MP who wanted to know if there were plans to build a modern market in Kabwata.

The minister said Government had plans to construct a modern market in Kabwata subject to the availability of land and money.

Mr Nkombo said the capacity of the market to be constructed will be determined by the designs but was certain that all the stores will be taken up as the new dawn administration was determined to adhere to the law that guided operations of markets.

He said this in response to Mr Joel Chibuye, the Roan Independent MP, who wanted to know how many traders would occupy the yet to be built market in Kabwata.

And Mr Nkombo said there was still a small foothold of PF surrogates in councils but they will soon be knocked out.

Mr Nkombo said this in response to Mr Chinga Miyutu, the Kalabo Central UPND MP who said a certain officer at his council was against the "HH agenda" and wanted an assurance from the minister that council workers did not frustrate government efforts.

Mr Stephen Kampyongo, the PF Shiwang'andu MP wondered if Mr Nkombo was in order to talk about tribe when the National Assembly was about the entire country.

The Speaker, Nelly Mutti guided Mr Nkombo to uphold the one Zambia one Nation and not open "a can of worms."