MP Tembo sought to get clarification from officials from the Ministry of Lands on information that government has sold land on which stands Livimbo School in Area 2 of Lilongwe city.

The immediate answer from government is that the story is baseless.

But Zodiak Online investigative journalist Grace Khombe finds that there has been suspect activity going on at the school.

In fact, in the past five years, the school has already lost some land to business people of Asian origin.

An inquiry by a parliamentarian in Lilongwe has sparked controversy.

The controversy follows shock, disbelief and debate over fears that land on which stands a public primary and secondary school in Lilongwe city, has been sold to business persons of Asian origin.

The innocent inquiry by parliamentarian Nancy Tembo has now resulted in multifaceted investigations.

The Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Parliamentary Committee on Education and the Ministry of Lands have been called to duty to help establish what exactly is going on.

Livimbo School is located South-West of the capital, Lilongwe. It is located uptown but not for the uptown. The majority of learners are from downtown neighboring high density locations.

Others are children of people working in homes and shops of business people of Asian origin. The Asian community reside here in majority. Their homes have almost completely surrounded the said school.

Livimbo Primary School was opened in 1958. It used to be called Korkri. It used to be an uptown school until the 70s when government took over ownership and responsibility over its operations.

“I got this news when I attended a school committee meeting in October 2019 that some individuals in Lands ministry have sold Livimbo school land to some Malawians of Asian origin, it was a concern because the buyers were intending to close the school. I was shocked and this is why I raised this matter before the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs to force government to reverse this idea for the sake of our children,” Tembo said.

Earlier, she told the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament that two Malawians of Asian origin had apparently bought the land on which the schools stand.

Learners at the school are also not amused with the development.

“I started hearing this news sometime back, but this is unfortunate because they are selling this land to rich people, they want us to remain poor and this is total violation of our right to education,” laments a standard eight female learner.

Another male learner at Livimbo School shared his sentiment, “This will negatively affect our education. Livimbo is the best school and learner- centered, and we can’t go to other schools. This should not happen….”

Esau Chikafa is the chairperson of the Parents and Teachers Association for Livimbo Community Day Secondary School. He says he has information dating back five years, and says he has a feeling something fishy is happening.

Chikafa says, in fact, the school has already lost part of its land to encroachers in the past.

“I feel the minister rushed to refute the allegations: maybe he doesn’t have information, but as custodians of this land, we know this land is sold. Asians have been coming here to claim this land and just to confirm that this land is now theirs, and they constructed warehouses within school campus,” Chikafa said.

Last November, according to Chikafa, officials suspected to have come the Ministry of Lands were chased from the premises.

Chikafa said, “For three consecutive years, there has been disagreements on land ownership here between us and some Asians. Our local leaders assured us that this land was donated to government some decades ago. We have an idea of the map for this school land, although they dubiously changed beacons. And we are also hearing that these Asians are constructing another school in Bunda area to relocate this school.”

Apparently, Ministry of Lands Principal Secretary Joseph Mwandidya, at the meeting Tuesday November 12, 2019, confessed before the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs that the ministry is infested with corruption, abuse of office and maladministration.

But Lands Minister, Simon Vuwa Kaunda, says all these are fabrications.

Kaunda was first to go to the school immediately after the issue arose. He brought the media with him.

“These are just mere fabrications and aimed at tarnishing the image of government. Who so-ever is spreading this news should be ashamed. We tend to wonder what Nancy Tembo is up to….she was once a commissioner of the Malawi Electoral Commission and we don’t expect such caliber to spread this news. We are not in profit making business, we don’t entertain encroachment of any school land and I warn … we will affect those found,” Kaunda said.

The view by Minister Kaunda was supported by that of PS for Education, Justin Saidi.

He downplayed the possibility the land was indeed being sold.

 “As the Ministry of Education, we’re shocked with this news because we don’t have any intention of selling any school land, we are currently constructing 250 schools, how can we sell school land, this is not true,” Saidi said.

“This is a school that has offered education for over five decades now. School heads and teachers literary refuse to give interviews. You would almost think they know the danger of opening their mouths on this.”

But the Anti-Corruption Bureau says it has interest in the matter. It has set aside five days from Thursday to verify the allegations. That should enable it decide on whether to proceed with in-depth investigations.

ACB’s Senior Public Relations Officer Egrita Ndala said, “You know as a corruption graft body, we take interest in any issue that we smell some corrupt practices and this is why we sent out team to visit Livimbo School on a fact finding mission and we are investigating this matter.”

Former parliamentarian for Lilongwe city South West constituency, Rhino Chiphiko, said he is not surprised by the issue, saying when he was in office, he failed to protect part of the school land which was sold to some business persons of Asian origin.

It was almost impossible, he said, to access original map for the school from both Lands and City officials.

Concerned officials, he said, tossed him from one office to the other. He suspects illegal under-dealings.

“This is not news to me, when I was a member of parliament for this area, school committee members complained about this issue of selling school land to Malawians of Asian origin, I demanded original map and documents for this school from Lands ministry and Lilongwe city council, I vehemently pushed the matter but to no avail, but I’m sure they are involved in this matter,” Chiphiko said.

The Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament is now demanding that the Ministry of Lands to make available all land documentation for Livimbo School where there are suspicion the land has been sold to business people of Asian origin.

Social media documents in possession of Zodiak Online (side bar) reveals that the Ministry of Lands notified the Education Ministry that the school encroached private land.

Whatever is happening at Livimbo School has direct effect on the education of learners. Livimbo community day secondary school has 253 students and primary section 310 learners.

A physical visit to the school shows that the structures are dilapidating. It’s a place slowly being forgotten.

The scores of children playing in the school grounds appear oblivious to what elders are grappling with.

It is clear that Livimbo School needs protection. Protection from those who really care about education.