Land allocation under ZESCO pylons raises dust

TWENTY-TWO residents of Chimwemwe township in Kitwe have petitioned Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang'ombe to explain the criteria used to allocate a play park to a Kitwe Magistrate and a local court messenger when the application for the same piece of land from the residents had been rejected.

The residents, among them Verries Chenga, who was assaulted over the same piece by the Magistrate's henchmen, said they were opposed to the council's decision to give the piece of land to four developers, among them a Magistrate and a named local court messenger.

In the petition, the residents said they were opposed to the council decision to demarcate a play park.

They said part of the land was in fact under ZESCO overhead pylons.

The petition is addressed to the Mayor, copied to the Ministry of Lands in Ndola, Kitwe Town Clerk, Kitwe District Commissioner and Chimwemwe Member of Parliament (MP).

"Your worship, we wish to bring to your attention regarding a piece of land in Chimwemwe ward situated along Mpanta Makasa Road between Bethel Church and Minsenga Tavern. This land has been given to four developers by the Kitwe City Council.

"As a community, we have opposed this move as it is detrimental to the well-being of the community. It is a play park, people grow vegetables to feed their families, and the place is under Zesco overhead cables. It is also an assembly point.

They wondered if the land had been allocated legally, because the area councillor had expressed ignorance about the development.

"We are humbly imploring you sir to follow the issue urgently and your intervention will be appreciated," the petition said.

But efforts to get a comment from the Mayor proved futile as he was reported to be out of the country with the Town Clerk. Their mobile phones went unanswered.

Last week, Mr Chenga complained that he was assaulted as he and others attempted to intervene in the demarcation of the land in question because they believed it was an illegal transaction.

Mr Chenga said he was demanding justice against the people who assaulted him on April 27, this year. Despite reporting the matter at Chimwemwe Police Post, no action had been taken.