Choma council to demolish illegal structures

CHOMA Town Clerk Mwiya Mwiya has said the local authority will demolish structures built on illegally acquired plots.
The move was aimed at bringing sanity in the acquisition of land in the district.
Mr Mwiya said Choma Municipal Council had many times issued warnings to owners of illegal plots in townships such as Kamunza to follow correct procedures in acquiring land.
He said the council was dismayed that despite such warnings served to plot owners to stop building on illegal plots, they had not followed the advice.
He said in an interview yesterday that the council had no option, but to pull down the structures, which include houses, to restore sanity.

“As a council, we have noted that despite several warnings served to owners of plots acquired illegally, there has been no positive response from them,” he said.
Mr Mwiya said the council two weeks ago invited Local Government Deputy Minister Forrie Tembo to inspect Kamunza Township where illegal acquisition of plots was prominent.
He said the council, last week, also held successful interviews with members of the public who recently applied for advertised plots in areas like Riverside, New Kalundu and Kamunza.
He said the exercise which was transparent, was meant for people to apply for plots and that successful applicants would be announced soon after the selection process.

Mr Mwiya said the council would also ensure people did not use under hand methods to acquire plots in various markets to avoid paying tax to Government.
Choma mayor Professor Mwaanga said the council would sell the plots lawfully to other people after demolish the illegally built structures.
He said Choma was the provincial capital of Southern Province and it needed to lead by example in lawful plots acquisition.
Prof Mwaanga said illegal plots frustrated the council’s efforts in fostering development because the structures built on illegal plots were always demolished

Times of Zambia