By: Collings Kalivute
Kasungu District Council has come under fire from Tembwe villagers under Senior Chief Mwase in the district, over delayed land compensation currently being used by the government in constructing houses for police officers.
Godfrey Chimpiko, Chairperson for Linga 2 Development Committee said they are saddened to note that authorities are playing double standards over the issue.
He has told Umunthu FM that at least 70 people are yet to receive their compensation for a piece of land the government is using for construction of houses for police officers, despite promising to sort them by November 2022.
“We are wondering that the government has now changed tune over the matter, as officials are saying they will compensate the affected communities in April this year once the 2023/24 financial year budget is passed in Parliament March this year”, lamented Chimpiko.
Meanwhile, Village Head (VH) Tembwe is asking for President Dr Lazarus Chakwera’s intervention before the situation gets out of hand.
“If the President is a caring leader, he should urgently intervene on the matter, as my subjects are starving to make ends meet and this is putting them at risk of contracting Cholera”, said VH Tembwe.
Kasungu District Council officials are yet to comment on the matter.
However, recently Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) Coordinator for Kasungu district Hastings Kalima bemoaned increased cases of land disputes in the district, allegedly perpetrated by a lack of knowledge of the newly enacted land laws.
