The Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Planning Symon Vuwa Kaunda has vowed to protect every Malawian from land grabbers and encroachers.
The Minister noted that for the past few years people especially in urban areas have developed a lawless behavior of grabbing land and encroaching protected or reserve land. This is a result of rapid urbanization that has left thousands of indigenous Malawians landless and their only option is to grab whatever piece of land they come across.
Against this background is another shocking revelation that there are some few Malawians who are hoarding vast pieces of land that are being kept indle, undeveloped for years.
Kaunda further noted that these people, some of them being Malawians of Asian origin are owning up to 1000 plots in Lilongwe and Blantyre while thousands of poor indigenous Malawians are failing to obtain even a single plot. This is sad and the Minister says enough is enough and that he will do everything possible to make sure that every deserving Malawian has access to land.
To achieve this, Kaunda appeals to all Malawians including media houses, city and town authorities and law enforcers to collaborate in this effort.
He however pointed out that,obtaning land from those who are hoarding thousands of plots and idle land and redistribute to landless people is likely going to meet some resistance as it has some legal implications but he vowed to employ all tools possible to make sure that the efforts benefit all Malawians without hurting anybody.
The Minister finally urged media houses to verify with facts before publishing their news articles, to avoid misinforming the public.
He cited a news article that appeared in an online news outlet, Nyasa Times where the paper alleged that the Minister was in a row with one Presidential guard to the point that the latter threatened the Minister with a gun. This is untrue and that he reminded them to maintain utmost. professionalism.
