(English) August 29, 2012
OVER 134 families in Nsamba area in Chief Kanyeshya’s chiefdom in Mkushi District are facing possible destitution after their traditional leader allegedly sold 1, 900 hectares of their land to an investor.
According to Chief Kanyeshya’s adviser, Maxwell Katenta, Chief Kanyeshya allegedly sold the land to Capital Fisheries, displacing over 134 families who had been inhabitants of the land for generations.
Mr Katenta claimed that the affected families were offered money and asked to vacate the land to pave the way for the development of fishing infrastructure by the company.
Efforts to get a comment from Chief Kanyeshya proved futile as he could not be reached on his mobile phone.
And Nsamba Village Headman, Joseph Chali, who also confirmed this, appealed for Government intervention, saying the only alternative land the villagers could settle on was mountainous and not suitable for cultivation of crops.
He said the villagers tried to meet with the chief to register their displeasure but that the traditional leader was unwilling to rescind his decision.
“The problem started on July 27, 2012 when we saw an official who came to put beacons and started demarcating the land. We were later told that the land had been sold and that we would be paid off so that we can find alternative land to settle on.
“We don’t want to move because we have lived all our lives here. Besides the alternative is in the mountains where the land is not suitable for cultivating crops, so how are we supposed to send our children to school if we can’t cultivate our fields?” Mr Chali said.
And a Patriotic Front official, Joseph Mwape Chitwale said officers from Capital Fisheries were destroying people’s fields in an attempt to clear the land in preparation for the anticipated land development.
Mr Chitwale urged the Government to quickly come to the aid of the villagers who did not have anyone to speak for them.
“What we know is that people are what make a village,” Mr Chitwale said.
Source: All Africa
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