BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has urged the Thyolo District Council to halt the ongoing process of land allocation in Nantipwiri, warning that any attempt to proceed before the September 16, 2025 elections will face strong resistance from the people.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to District Commissioner Hudson Kuphanga and copied to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa raised concerns that the council has already started receiving applications for the allocation of land earmarked for residential use.
According to the watchdog, an official advert is expected soon to cover up a process that is “almost complete.”
CDEDI stressed that land is a vital natural resource that must be handled with fairness, transparency, and accountability.
The organization argued that suspending the exercise until after the elections when fully functional councils are in place would help restore trust and confidence in the process.
“The fact that Thyolo is one of the districts plagued with unacceptable levels of landlessness people in the country needs not to be overemphasized,”said Namiwa in the statement.
The governance body further cautioned authorities to approach the matter carefully, pointing out that Malawians are still grappling with the injustices of colonial era land grabbing.
It revealed that the land in question once belonged to the Mbandaga/Dondi Estate, which adds historical sensitivity to the issue.
Namiwa issued a stern warning: “Any attempt to proceed to apportion the land amid serious corruption allegations and the absence of the fully functioning council will be met with heavy resistance from the people of Thyolo.”
CDEDI has therefore demanded that the sale and allocation of land in Nantipwiri be suspended until after the elections, stressing that anything less would amount to an abuse of power and a betrayal of the landless majority in the district.
