Ministry of Lands yesterday gave some property owners in Area 43 dambo side in Lilongwe a rude awakening when it demolished structures, including perimeter fences for taking shape without approval.
Briefing the media close to the site, Minister of Lands Deus Gumba said the operation targeted buildings that were built without approvals and posed safety risks to both occupants and nearby properties.
He said the government is working with the Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) and Lilongwe City Council to reclaim land and ensure any development is in line with land laws.
Said Gumba: “Gone are the days when people just grabbed land, and constructed on it. Dambo areas are hazardous for settlement, and some areas are reserved for national developments such as schools and hospitals.
“We prioritise the safety and well-being of our citizens and that means ensuring that development is carried out in a responsible and sustainable way.”
He emphasised that the government will continue to take action against illegal structures and ensure that land laws are enforced in the public interest.
A ministry official said the ministry has embarked on a national enforcement exercise of land laws.
Said the official: “The encroachers are given 30-day notices through the Lilongwe City Council, to stop the construction works as they were doing so illegally. But despite the notice, they continued.”
This is not the first time the ministry has demolished illegal structures in Area 43.
Last September, developers in Tsoka accused MHC and the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) of grabbing their land and demolishing structures, respectively.
The developers claimed they acquired the land which was customary a decade ago from communities.
But MHC spokesperson Ernestina Lunguzi said at the time that the corporation owns the land and the erected structures were illegal; hence, the decision to demolish them.
In November 2024, the Ministry of Lands issued a statement warning plot owners to adhere to Land Acts, saying it would start demolishing structures developed in public land, especially in major cities.
The Malawi Institute of Physical Planners Association attributed the rising cases of illegal structures to lack of awareness on land laws.
