NAMULAMBE IS NOT FROM MPONGWE SAYS CHIEFTAINESS LESA AS SHE WARNS HIM OVER KALUKWISO LAND WRANGLES

NAMULAMBE IS NOT FROM MPONGWE SAYS CHIEFTAINESS LESA AS SHE WARNS HIM OVER KALUKWISO LAND WRANGLES

CHIEFTAINESS Lesa of the Lamba Lima people speaking in Mpongwe District has warned former Mpongwe Member of Parliament Gabriel Namulambe against speaking on issues that does not concern him.

In a telephone interview with Radio Mpongwe, Chieftainess Lesa expressed disappointed on the views made by Namulambe during the live breakfast show on Radio Mpongwe, regarding the issue involving Mpongwe Farms Limited.

Speaking during a live breakfast programme, Namulambe said all those advising leaders regarding the Kalukwiso (Mpongwe Farms) issue should endeavour to tell them the truth.

He said the squatters in Kalukwiso should give the government ample time to resolve the issue with Clayton Johnes, owner of Mpongwe Farms Limited

He said currently, the available documents show that Johnes is the legal owner of the said property and until the matter is disposed of by the court, the people of Kalukwiso must avoid taking the law into their own hands..

He said it was wrong for the squatters to burn a vehicle belonging to the farm manager, regardless of the grievances they have with Johnes.

He reminded the squatters that President Hakainde Hichilema has stated that those found breaking the law are on their own, regardless of the party they belong to. He explained that the proposal offered by Mpongwe Farms to give 39,000 hectares out of the 66,000 hectares of the farm to the squatters is a fair deal, considering the fact that Johnes has legal ownership of the land.

However, the Chieftainess said Namulambe does not originate from Mpongwe and hence is not qualified to speak on behalf of the people of Mpongwe.

“Tabalipo bakukuno balya. Aikona ati nalukulabila pafyapanga iyo tabeshipo,” she said.

Meanwhile, Chieftainess Lesa’s Palace Secretary, Emmanuel Chisopa, justified calls to repossess the land from Clayton, saying the farm has remained undeveloped since Clayton bought it.

He said Kalukwiso is the food basket of the district and hence must be given to the locals who are already utilising it.

“If you talk about a bumper harvest here in Mpongwe, where does it come from? Of course, from Kalukwiso. This is why we are fighting to get this land, of course using legal means,” he said.

Last week, two police officers were seriously injured following a riot in Kalukwiso.

The riot was sparked by villagers who attacked two police officers after word went round that the police had arrested and assaulted one of their colleagues accused of destroying building materials belonging to Johnes on the farm

Radio Mpongwe