Govt to intensify land corruption fight

GOVERNMENT yesterday launched the Zambia Integrated Land Management and Information System on which it will spend K8 million to implement and fight corruption in land management.
Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Wylbur Simuusa said land management has been marred by fraud and corruption.
He said Government is committed to ensuring transparency, accountability and security in land administration.
Mr Simuusa said people need security in land acquisition as it is one of the key factors in poverty reduction.
He said new land management system is a robust computer-based system which will monitor land transactions electronically.
The minister said security will also be enhanced as fraud will be reduced and confidence will be restored in land management.
“This system will ensure security of tenure of both customary and State land and also curb double allocation of land, which is a major problem,” Mr Simuusa said.
He said by 2014, the paper-based system will no longer be operational because all land transactions will be conducted electronically.
And Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda said the launch of the initiative is aimed at addressing weaknesses in security, reliability, integrity and efficiency in land administration.
Mr Chikwanda said Government is optimistic that the new system will increase revenue which has remained at a low rate of 1.3 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).
He said the treasury projects a non-tax revenue contribution of at least three percent of GDP in the medium term.
“My ministry is more than delighted to launch initiatives such as this one which will facilitate the bridging of the fiscal gap,” Mr Chikwanda said.