CHIEF CHIWALA CRIES FOUL OVER LAND GRABBING LED BY CARTELS IN GOVT DEPARTMENTS
By Raphael Mulenga
Senior Chief Chiwala of the Lamba-speaking people on the Copperbelt has raised concerns over rampant land grabbing of customary land, allegedly perpetrated by cartels working with officials from the ministry of lands, agriculture, and local councils.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Chief Chiwala accused the syndicates of blatantly disregarding the law and using forged documents to claim ancestral land.
He says this has led to prolonged court cases involving 21 of his subjects who face eviction while spending huge sums of money to fight for land seized without his knowledge or consent.
Chief Chiwala emphasized that he is not opposed to development, but condemns the fraudulent acquisition of land through illegal means.
The traditional leader further revealed that the cartels are issuing fake land titles in collusion with government officials, often bypassing community input during land surveys.
Meanwhile, Chieftainess Shimukunami of Lufwanyama District has accused the Lufwanyama town council of encroaching on over 700 hectares of customary land, further claiming that council staff have been harassing her subjects who have settled on the disputed land.
PHOENIX NEWS