By KALOBWE BWALYA
A LUSAKA businessman has defended his ownership of part of the Kabwata Cultural Villager, halting demolition orders from Lusaka province minister, Bowman Lusambo.
“WE got legal documents from the Lusaka City Council (LCC) Kabwata Cultural Village Land,” says Lusaka businessman Essa Junior.
On Thursday, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo called for the immediate demolition of what he called an illegal structure constructed at Kabwata cultural village land in Lusaka.
Speaking after he toured the encroached site, Mr Lusambo said he would not tolerate lawlessness in land allocation in the Province.
He also threatened to demolish the building if the developer did not produce any council documentation authoritising the works.
But, yesterday, a check by Daily Nation however found works in progress with building materials offloaded on the site.
In an interview, Mr Essa said they submitted all the documents to the respected offices to go through including the title deeds for the building that is along Burma Road next to Kabwata gym.
He disclosed that all the required documents have since been taken to respected offices including the Lusaka Provincial office for clarification.
Mr Essa said they have since continued with the works at the site because he believed that he followed the laid down procedure in acquiring the same piece of land.
He said the land in question was bought from someone who failed to develop it after he acquired it.
Mr Essa said, he understood the Zambian law because he is a Zambian citizen, therefore he could not abrogate any law because no one is above the law.
“We submitted all the documents to the respected offices to go through including the title deeds for the building that is along Burma Road next to Kabwata gym on the same day Mr Bowman Lusambo conducted impromptu visit of the same place,” said Mr Essa.
Earlier, the council refused authorising any construction works on the piece of land.
Mr Lusambo directed the PF Kabwata constituency chairman, Trevor N’gandu, to remove any person at the site until the owner of the property was established.
Mr Lusambo also directed Lusaka City Council (LCC) to hand over the file to him so that he could establish the person who was in charge for the allocation of land.
The minister said the land where the building is belonged to Kabwata cultural village national heritage site.
He expressed shock that the land which belonged to Government could easily be given out without following procedure.
