BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s social rights body, Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) on Friday, June 18, 2021 gave President Chakwera’s Tonse government 90 day ultimatum to resolves land issues in Mulanje and Thyolo that communities make use of the idle land.
CDEDI gave the ultimatum was following a peaceful match the group led aimed at forcing the Chakwera government to swiftly take action on the matter which has been there for years.
The protesters marched from Nkhonya via Chitakale, to the Council offices where a petition was delivered to Stallich Mwabiwa representing the District Commissioner who assured the protesters that the petition will reach President Chakwera.
CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa observed that it is worrisome that leaders of the country do not pay attention to queries raised by people from Mulanje and Thyolo.
Namiwa said now is the time when people from these two districts should get back all the idle pieces of land which were illegally grabbed from their ancestors by British nationals, failing to do so communities will get all the idle land on their own.
“The petition we have delivered to the Mulanje DC’s office contain tears, tears which have been there for decades. People from Mulanje are crying because their asset was grabbed at gun point by the white settlers.
“The suitable arable and prime land are owned by foreign nationals, Malawians have no land here. Now the time is here, these people cannot take it anymore that’s why we have given the Malawi government 90 days ultimatum to surrender all the idle land to the locals failing to do so will automatically mean all the idle land belongs to the locals,” said Namiwa.
Namiwa added that it is sad that some estate owners are now hiring police officers to assault any community member who seem to be in forefront in fighting for justice on the matter, a development which he said can never be condoned.
He however cited a landless lady identified as Estere Maviyaji who is struggling for life in ward 5, bed number 31 at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre after she was assaulted by a police officer over the matter.
Meanwhile, Malawi police service is yet to act on the allegation but earlier this week national police publicist James Kadadzela told the local media that investigation on the matter will soon be launched.
Thyolo and Mulanje has huge idle land along tea estates.
