Maravi

Machina urges govt to address corruption in land administration

Machina urges govt to address corruption in land administration
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 04 Oct. 2011, 08:50 CAT

MULTINATIONAL corporations must not be allowed to acquire thousands of hectares of land without due consideration of the rights of local communities, says Henry Machina.

In a statement, Machina stated that the new government must critically examine the challenges that the previous government had in coming up with a new land policy.

"Zambians have been waiting to have a land policy that would guide land administration so as to promote real development of a national land policy," Machina said.

Machina noted that most poor Zambians continue to have challenges in accessing land while others continue to be insecure on their land because of inadequacies in the current laws pertaining to land.

"Many people cannot access title for land because of the costly and highly centralised system that promotes the likelihood of corruption," he said.

"Others have suffered the brunt of a highly politicised land administration. Political cadres have allegedly been dispossessing legal owners of land and demarcating it while enjoying immunity from politicians."

He said many people voted for President Michael Sata in the belief that he would root out corruption in the land administration system. Machina called for the involvement of the local communities in allocating land to foreign investors.

He observed that many disadvantaged groups such as women, the disabled, pastoralists and villagers had suffered at the hands of large-scale land acquisition.

Labels: HENRY MACHINA, LAND RIGHTS

posted by MrK @ 6:06 PM