PROTECT TRADITIONAL LAND FROM PREDATORY INVESTORS

By MUBITA KATETE TRADITIONAL land must be protected from investors seeking vast tracts under title without presenting credible development proposals, Chieftainess Msoro VII of the Kunda people in Mambwe has warned. Chieftainess Msoro called for transparency, accountability and reliable information in land administration, saying community interests must be safeguarded as investors seek land for projects. Speaking during the Environmental Protection Dialogue at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, she said Zambia’s energy deficit had triggered a rush for land for solar power projects, but some proposals lacked substance. Some prospective investors, she said, were seeking as much as 250 hectares under title without convincingly explaining their plans. “Some of what the investors discuss is just hot air, as they request 250 hectares of land on title,” Chieftainess Msoro said. She said such approaches had prompted the establishment of the Msoro Chiefdom Trust last year to provide a structured system for dealing with investors and protecting community interests. Chieftainess Msoro stressed that she had not granted land title to any investor and that all prospective investors were required to engage the trust, which she heads. Through the trust, the chiefdom had also begun pursuing its own solar energy project, enabling the community to take a more active role in development. She said the arrangement had accelerated progress, with significant work accomplished within one year that would otherwise have taken more than five years. The traditional leader called for land administration to be treated as the starting point for development, emphasising that proper management was essential to protecting communities and promoting sustainable investment. On conservation, Chieftainess Msoro cited the chiefdom’s relationship with BioCarbon Partners as an example of a partnership supporting conservation without transferring land title. She said accountability must also extend to the management of funds and resources within chiefdoms. Chieftainess Msoro warned that misappropriation remained a concern and urged traditional leaders to exercise close oversight to ensure resources were used for their intended purposes. The Environmental Protection Dialogue is an annual gathering of stakeholders in Zambia’s environmental sector, organised by the Centre for Environment Justice in collaboration with Government and cooperating partners. The meeting focused on environmental governance and sustainable development

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PROTECT TRADITIONAL LAND FROM PREDATORY INVESTORS