By BUUMBA CHIMBULU
ZAMBIA Railways Limited (ZRL) should immediately stop people who have encroached on the company land, Transport and Communications Minister, Mutotwe Kafwaya has ordered.
The Minister said ZRL should ensure that no construction works was being undertaken on its land and should immediately engage all those who had encroached on company assets.
Mr Kafwaya said it was important to protect assets in the railway sector and as such, all construction activities along the railway line should cease.
“I would like to direct ZRL to make sure that they stop anyone who is building now. Those buildings should not continue,” Mr Kafwaya said after touring railway assets in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Kafwaya said ZRL should be able to find a balance between human and legal aspects for all those who had already encroached company land land.
Government, he said, would not compensate any encroachers because the land they were occupying was obtained illegally.
“What we are trying to do is to protect the future of this country by preserving Government assets such as the one by ZRL.
“What you should know is ZRL didn’t sell the land to them in fact the one who sold it to them should go to jail, “Mr Kafwaya said.
ZRL Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Musonda, complained that encroachment was the biggest problem the company was facing, stressing that the situation was prominent in Lusaka.
“This is the biggest problem we are facing. Encroachment is a serious issue as it borders on their safety and security,” Mr Musonda said.
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