ACT ON LAND

THERE is something amiss that must be ad dressed without delay to bring sanity in the ad ministration of land.

The revelation by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Elijah Muchima over the double allocation of plots to two people by the ministry and Livingstone City Council under scores the need for urgent review of the system.

Mr Muchima admitted that the double alloca tion has raised serious concerns. It should for it shows there is no system in place to identify such anomalies.

He added that this has caused a lot of wrangles among residents in Livingstone. He was speak ing when he paid a courtesy call on Livingstone Mayor Constance Muleabai at the Civic Centre.

If anything, this is something that is probably happening throughout the country, especially in urban areas where residential plots are in high demand.

The minister said it has emerged that the issue of two people being allocated the same piece of land by either the local authority or the ministry of Lands was depriving poor people from owning land.

“Here in Livingstone we have a lot of wran gles emanating from the confusion between the council and ministry of Lands...but the ministry has no powers to change what councils have al ready submitted,” Mr Muchima said.

But what the minister should be doing is not complaining over the mess that is already there, but offering solutions to end improve the system.

We recall that late last year, the Nkana Member of Parliament, Mr Binwell Mpundu complained over the lack of coordination between the Ministry of Lands and the Kitwe City Council.

Mr Mpundu complained how the council had demarcated land meant for schools and other social amenities into residential plots.

But some councillors, from the ruling United Party for National Development cried foul and accused him of trying to usurp their powers.

Yet, he had a genuine point.

In the Livingstone fiasco, Mr Muchima has giv en the local authority and his ministry up to this month end to reconcile the situation going as far back as five years ago.

“Starting today, I want you people to reconcile what you have sent to Lusaka, of what was yours, land allocation year by year... this has to be cor rected. I expect a complete reconciliatory report at the end of this month,” the minister said.

In an ideal set up, there should not be any fric tion between the ministry and the local authori ties over allocation of land. The local authorities are agents for the ministry.

Mr Muchima said that much as the local gov ernment is an agent of the Lands ministry, it is not supposed to be the case because it’s one government and there should not be any confusion.

Land issues ought to be taken seriously. Throughout history, countries and even commu nities have gone to war over land.

This is the more reason we implore the Ministry of Lands to be proactive and ensure that it cleans up the system, thus making it easy for anyone to access land.