Mchinji council taken to task over land issues

By Aaron Banda

A Group of Concerned Citizens dubbed Mchinji Social Economic Concern Citizen Alliance (Msecca) has expressed worry over Council’s failure to allocate land to some people who bought land from the Council 10 years ago.

It was reported that some people bought land from the Council 10 years ago and they were issued receipts but they were not allocated the plots.

Msecca Executive Director, Lawrence Chikhasu on Monday asked Mchinji District Council to allocate the plots to the complainants with immediate effect.

“We would want to put things in order so that those that were eligible to acquire land should acquire the land,” he said.

The Director said in 2010 the Council was selling land and that many people applied and they were issued offer letters and receipts an indication to show that they were allocated the plots.

Chikhasu added: “According to our records, some complainants bought the land from the Council in 2009 and they were given the land and unfortunately upon developing the land it was discovered that the land belong to some people who happen to be the previous owners of the land who were not compensated by the Council.”

One of the complainants, Lawrence Mtimaunenenji said in 2010 he paid K160, 000 and that he was given the receipts and offer letter but he has waited for 10 years without being allocated the plot.

“There were two categories of land, medium and low density plots so I applied for low density plot and fortunately I was offered the plot. I paid in full but up to now I am yet to be allocated that land,” he recalled.

Mtimaunenenji said he, together with other complainants, have made so many follow ups with the Council and that the response was that there were wrangles on the land they were to be given and that once the council identifies other places they would be prioritized.

“According to what I heard, the Council did not compensate the locals and some of them were refusing to have their land allocated to the buyers because they were not compensated,” he said.

The Council’s Chief Administration Officer, Raymond Nkhonya has since advised the complainants to write the Council and that they should bring copies of offer letters and payment receipts so that the Council allocates them another land.

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