Maravi

PS admits archaic land documentation in Zambia

PS admits archaic land documentation in Zambia
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Sat 20 Aug. 2011, 11:56 CAT

THERE has been anarchy in land administration in the country because of archaic land administration documents, says lands permanent secretary Matondo Yeta. Yeta, made the observation during the closure of a workshop on the review of the land circular No. 1 of 1985 at Livingstone’s Chrismar Hotel yesterday.

She said the circular responsible for land administration was drafted 26 years ago and the democratic and legal framework of the country had since changed making it necessary to review the document.

“The lands document has been archaic, that is why we have seen anarchy in land administration,” Yeta said.

She said there had been a lot of suspicions in the allocations of land
as only a committee of councillors would meet to decide issues of land
alienation without the involvement of other stakeholders.

Yeta said the new circular would also not allow people to go
unpunished on issues of illegal land allocations as punitive measures
had been put in place.

And speaking earlier, during the closing ceremony of the workshop,
Yeta said the ministry had also learnt lessons over other good systems
that were previously in place but had now been forgotten and
abandoned.

“On behalf of the ministry, I wholeheartedly accept the challenges and
weaknesses that have been identified by the resource persons as well
as your views and suggestions as we move forward in implementing the
decisions which have been decided upon by this workshop,” Yeta said.

She further said it was her ministry’s top priority to enhance and
improve the land delivery system in the country.
Yeta also hailed the huge turnout at the workshop that also saw the
participation of 10 traditional leaders.

Labels: LAND RIGHTS, PERMANENT SECRETARIES

posted by MrK @ 6:53 PM