Maravi

Nyirongo grabbed land meant for squatters, says senior land official

Nyirongo grabbed land meant for squatters, says senior land official
By Inonge Noyoo
Friday January 11, 2008 [03:00]

A SENIOR Lands officer yesterday told the court that the land which former lands minister, Rev Gladys Nyirongo, fraudulently acquired for herself was intended to accommodate squatters. In his evidence led by Anti-Corruption Commission’s Martin Maembe, Harry Mwewa said the land in question was supposed to be replanned and given to squatters.

He said the two farms were handed over to the state by the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) and one of the farms was already being replanned while the other one was awaiting fund approval.

He said that the replanning could not be completed due to a lack of funds.
Mwewa said Rev Nyirongo called a meeting in her office to which he was part and said that she wanted a plot.

“We told her that we did not have land apart from farm 390A former ZCCM which had not been replanned yet. We then referred her to the Ministry of Agriculture and gave her a specific person to see. I made an effort to call Chewe (Junior Technical officer) and told him about the minister’s request,” he said. “I told him to show the minister part of farm 390A and I don’t know what happened thereafter,” he said.
Mwewa said he was later questioned by ACC officers over the plot Rev Nyirongo acquired.

In cross-examination by defence lawyer, Frank Tembo, Mwewa said Rev Nyirongo had indicated that she wanted a farm where she could settle upon retirement.

Rev Nyirongo is charged with two counts of abuse of authority contrary to section 99(1) of the Penal Code chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia by directing Daisy Mulenga M'soka, a lands officer at the Ministry of Lands, to generate offer letters of the land in Foxdale area.

The letters of offer were given to Walinase Nyirongo, Janet Isaac Nyirongo, Peter Kapolya, Peter Ngulube, Precious Ndlovu, Doris Mulenga, Mubanga Muyunji, Mickey Mukubu, Mwelwa Kamfwa, Bruce Chipasha and Dingwall Hayden in contravention of land alienation procedures, an act which was prejudicial to the interests of the government of Zamb

Labels: GLADYS NYIRONGO, SQUATTERS

posted by MrK @ 6:12 AM