Govt warns foreigners against grabbing land
By SANFROSSA MANYINDA
GOVERNMENT has warned foreign investors against grabbing land from farmers at Luswishi Farming Bloc in Shibuchinga Chiefdom in Lufwanyama.
Minister of Lands Elijah Muchima has said Government would not allow foreigners to have more power over land at the expense of Zambians.
Mr Muchima said the new administration would revise policies and laws to ensure Zambians were empowered with land.
He said time to resolve matters of land that have been a problem for a long time has come.
He said there was no way Zambians could be enslaved in such a manner in their own country.
Mr Muchima was speaking following complaints from the farmers at the farming bloc who said they were being displaced by the foreign investment companies.
The farmers complained that they were being evicted from their farms even when their agreement with the foreign investors was to allow them farm within the farm bloc.
“I have heard all your complaints and I will come back with a concrete decision two weeks from now after engaging the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant authorities.
“My ministry will go through the agreements that you made with the foreign investors that are engaged in farming in the same area,” Mr Muchima said.
And Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo requested the farmers to remain calm and assured them that the matter would be resolved amicably.
Mr Matambo said in as much as the province needed investors, they had no right to displace the owners of the land who had been carrying out their activities at the place for many years.
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