Sun, 18 Jun 2017 13:17:36 +0000
…those selling land to foreigners are sowing seeds of anger and dissent and it will be forcibly claimed by Zambians
By Violet Tembo
ZAMBIAN traitors selling land to foreigners are sowing seed of anger and dissent because it will be forcibly reclaimed by Zambians, warns Bwana Mkubwa Member of Parliament Jonas Chanda.
Dr Chanda expressed deep concern over the tendency by Zambians conniving with foreigners to give away land cheaply, as well as other natural resources including Mukula tree and wildlife.
“I may sound like a prophet of doom today, but if action is not taken to restrict ownership of land to foreigners, the future generation will grab it back by force and blood will be shed,” he said
Debating the Presidential speech in Parliament on Friday evening, Dr Chanda said the urgency for the revision of the Land Act and policy over ownership could not be overemphasized.
“Countries go to war over two issues namely trade and land. Today’s political players, traditional leaders and individuals are carelessly selling huge tracts of land to foreigners are selling off their own country, thus endangering future generations who will be landless in their own country,
“They will be refugees in their own country even late freedom fighter Mpundu Mutale sang a song titled ‘ ubuntungwa’ in which he warned against the dangers of selling land to foreigners,” he aid
Dr Chanda said it was better that the nation acted now and repossessed land illegally sold to foreigners or thirty years from now the future generation will grab it back by force.
Dr. Chanda said as much as the country welcomed foreigners to live in Zambia, they did not have the same rights of land ownership like citizens did.
He was in total support of the President’s urgent call to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Minister Jean Kapata to bring the revised land Act and policy to Cabinet and Parliament.
He indicated that the revised land Act and policy should clearly state that land ownership was for Zambians and foreigners could only occupy land under a sub- lease or rent system from Zambians.
He emphasized that foreigners should not have land titles.
” If we do not act now on the land issue, in the near future Zambians will not accept to live like beggars in their own country and be landless,
“We should learn from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Cuba on how delays in re-possessing foreign owned land will only lead to more radical measures like forceful land and farm grabs,” he said.
Meanwhile Dr. Chanda has welcomed the move by Ministry of lands to revoke land agency license for Ndola city council (NCC).
