In this audio, Kabwe central Member of parliament Tutwa Ngulube confront Kabwe Municipal Council Planner Francis Mawite for illegally demarcating land for sale.
And Ngulube has warned Kabwe Municipal Council officers that they will be arrested if they continue conniving with some councillors and other officials in the sale of plots when the suspension of the land agency is still in effect.
On June 8th 2017, Lands Minister Jean Kapata suspended the land agencies for the Kabwe Municipal Council and the Ndola City Council for failing to adhere to the guidelines and procedures in the administration of land.
But Ngulube said the practice had continued in Kabwe despite the suspension of the agency, as heard in this conversation.
Take a listen:
“You are the people that have demolished houses in Katondo, you are demolishing houses in Kaputula, you are demolishing some houses in Magandanyama. I am not going to sit idle and sleep while you people start attacking my people. And I have actually spoken to you like this because I want you to understand but if I start hitting back! We will have a lot of casualties there at the council and I will bruise somebody because you people your land agency was suspended but you have continued harassing people, putting beacons,” Ngulube said when he called a Mawite on phone.
“Has your suspension been lifted? You answer me! I have written to the office of the town clerk but there has been no response. So I am warning you that you should desist from this, and if you continue doing that! I am going to take it that you guys are trespassers, am going to take it that you guys are doing criminal activities because if your land agency has been suspended! You are supposed to wait. If you have a problem with my people, you come to the office of the MP. That councilor of yours Humphrey Mukuka whom you are sharing plots with, I know the plots you have sold that side and people have shown me that this plot was sold by Humphrey Mukuka with the help of this and that, busy putting beacons, under whose authority? Are you surveyors? As a planner are you allowed to put beacons when the suspension of your land agency is still in effect?”
And in response, Mawita said he was only a planner operating under orders from his bosses.
“On that one we have the bosses who are giving us work. There is Director of Planning, Director of Public Health, Director of legal,” Mawite said.
But Ngulube also threatened to take action against all the council officials behind the illegal practice.
“So if I tell my people to catch you and take you to the police! Are you going to still going to point at Director planning? Because you are a planner and you are not supposed to be putting beacons, thats a crime and you know the law very well, you are not surveyors. Can you stop selling land, can you stop putting beacons, can you stop demolishing houses, can you stop harassing my people, okay! And you should tell your bosses that I called you and told you to desist from demolishing houses without court orders, to desist from harassing my people without my office involvement, and also to stop putting new beacons because you are not surveyors,” said Ngulube.
“You have continued disobeying the directive meaning now we are going to bruise you personally as individuals. We are not going to wait for you Mr Mawite, Bwalya, Mwamba and that private surveyor called Chewe you are all over. You are in Katondo, you are in Side, you are in Wire, do you want me to start harassing you personally. So we are going to start taking you to the police for malicious damage of the property and you will be locked up for doing criminal activities in the name of the council whether you are council employ or not.”
One Response
Two things must be done now and not later.
1. Delineate the roles and responsibilities of Mps.
2. Outline the land acquisition and conveyance process.
What’s going on in Zambia in these two areas is disgraceful.
Why are lawmakers involved administrative functions in provinces? They make the laws that they turn around and implement. Isn’t that a conflict of interest?
Land is the basis for nationhood. It is the foundation upon which cultural, political, social, economic, ecological, and legal principles are framed. The proper management of land is an absolute essential ingredient in the country’s development strategy.