Balance investment and traditional leaders interests on land – Chimbwali

Luapula Province Permanent Secretary (PS) Boniface Chimbwali has called on Council Secretaries (CSs) to provide guidance to traditional leaders.

Mr. Chimnbwali says the CSs in the province should develop guidelines for traditional rulers in the area especially on allocating  land for development through  investment so that there is balance of interests between Traditional Leaders and Local Authorities.

The PS called on CSs to be fully conversant with the territory which has been converted from customary to state land and go back to the Chiefs for the need for them to cede more land to the state for development.

 

Mr. Chimbwali made the call in Samfya, yesterday,  during the meeting of CSs on Law, Research and Administration, Luapula Chapter of the Local Government Association of Zambia.

For example Chief Chitembo in Samfya has been asked to given out 20,000 hectares of traditional land to a single Investor who wants to replicate a city from the USA in Samfya which will mean that the Chief to secedes almost half of his chiefdom for the  project to become a reality, he said.

The PS expressed surprise that Chief  Chitembo has to date not signed any document on the matter spelling out the benefits for the Chief and his subjects in the project.

 

He said it should be made clear in the document for the traditional leader to agree to before giving away such huge land to a single investor.

Mr. Chimbwali said there is still need for the District Council to clear the grey areas to ensure that the project brings out tangible benefits to the parties concerned.

The PS said when government sets up new Districts, Chiefs are made aware about the boundaries of the planned districts, it is therefore the Council’s responsibility to explain to the Chiefs and the affected parties the importance of such developments and their implied benefits.