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Malawi Land Management Rot under Microscope

Vuwa (Centre) Vuwa (Centre)

The Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament says there appears to be more rot in the management of public land in the country’s cities besides alleged sale of Livimbo School.

Chairperson of the committee, Kezzie Msukwa, told reporters yesterday that his committee has since launched a probe into how business entities acquired land in a number of schools in Lilongwe and other public spaces in the city of Blantyre too.

Msukwa says the committee will conduct a public inquiry on the issues with all the relevant stakeholders as it now turns out that it is not only  Livimbo school premises that may have been encroached upon.

“There have been new discoveries which suggest that there is a lot of rot in the ministry of Lands. For instance, we have been advised as a committee that there is also a school at Chimutu where an Indian has started developments there.

“There are reports of developments at Magwero school where some land has gone to an Indian,’’ said Msukwa.

He added that his committee will also investigate reports that a senior citizen is grabbing land for a school at New Shire in Lilongwe. The committee will also probe reports that in Limbe, some public land has also been reportedly sold.

“In SOS area in Lilongwe, there is also an issue there that needs investigation as well as reports that most Nigerians have taken over land in area 43,” he added.

He added that the committee will communicate the dates of the public inquiry.

The Ministry of Lands has yet to comment on the allegations but principal secretary in the ministry, Joseph Mwandidya, earlier confessed before the legal affairs committee of parliament that corruption, inefficiencies were rampant.

Lands minister, Simon Vuwa Kaunda, says of the Livimbo School issue, government will, at all cost, ensure all land is given back to the school.

But the businessman named Ahmed Yakubu has said he would fight his way to the courts because he legally acquired the land he is operating on.

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Last modified on Tuesday, 19/11/2019

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