By Clinton Masumba in Kitwe, Zambia
Access to land has remained as one of Zambia’s greatest
challenge especially to the vulnerable community.
The challenges have come as a result of high costs in acquiring
land, a move that has left only the elite to benefit.
Kitwe, a mining town on the Copperbelt has not been spared from
this norm, as the most vulnerable community continue to struggle to acquire
pieces of land.
However, there could be some hope for the vulnerable community
as the Kitwe City Council engages government to de-gazette a piece of land for
the vulnerable at the Mwekera Forest Reserve.
Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe having worked in the
Council for over 10 years has felt the pain of the vulnerable community and
seeks to reduce the burden as he engages central government.
Through a report from the Town Clerk, The Kitwe City Council
passed a resolution for the creation of low cost plots for the poor under what
is being proposed to be called Presidential land Empowerment Project.
The Council has proposed to central government to de-gazette
2000 hectares of land from the Mwekera Forest Reserve to actualise the
Presidential Land Empowerment Project meant for the vulnerable community.
“Over 100 vulnerable women come to my office every Wednesday
asking for land which the council hasn’t got.....it’s a time bomb.... We need
to plan for them, this effort must not depart from overall objective to help
the poor” Mr Kang’ombe said.
However, this initiative has received a check up.
Davies Kasengele, a clergy and losing Ndeke Ward Independent
candidate said much as the idea is good, it may not benefit the indented people
and could cause another problem in the City.
He said Mwekera Forest should be left with enough land for expansion.
“Mwekera Forest should not be tempered with as this may even
frustrate and jeopardize the future of Mwekera Forestry College’s good
intentions of training our generation into good agriculturist” he stated.
Meanwhile, Land Activist Archie Mulunda has urged government
to seriously consider the proposal especially that land was becoming too expensive
in the City.
He said the vulnerable community have been left out in
owning land.
“The cost of land in Zambia today, it is the biggest cost, for
you to get land from the open market, so the Kitwe City Council must be
supported on this initiative but identification of the vulnerable should be
done carefully and ensure the project benefit the intended purposes”. He said.
Mr Mulunda has further cautioned the Council to plan well
should the proposal be granted to avoid creating another shanty compound.
“It is a human right that every person is well accommodated,
it will be a very good program for the Kitwe City Council, and we also hope
that this application can be considered quickly by the Ministry of Lands that
part of the Mwekera forest is de-gazette, the 2000 hectares in low costs plots
would be enough for the vulnerable community” He stated.
Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe has allowed public
opinions from the General public to see how best the idea can be refined to
benefit the intended Community.
“In order to make the proposed land empowerment program transparent,
fair and beneficial to the less privileged, the Civic leadership in Kitwe will
involve the Community stakeholders such as the church and social welfare
department in the selection process” Kang’ombe said
