Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Chimwemwe Chipungu has confirmed that serving and former Cabinet ministers alongside other senior public officials are involved in irregular land procurement in Lilongwe.
Presenting findings of a pilot land ownership audit that focused on Are 3 and Area 10 in Lilongwe, the minister vowed to publicise names of the ‘big fish’ involved.
His confirmation yesterday came two days after The Nation on Monday reported that a draft government audit had implicated politically exposed persons in alleged irregular allocation and administration of public land in Lilongwe’s Areas 3 and 10.
The report The Nation has seen cites at least 20 current and former Cabinet ministers in connection with various land administration issues.
It further names judges, members of Parliament (MPs), senior government officials, private individuals and some Ministry of Lands officials suspected of facilitating questionable allocations.
Speaking during the press conference yesterday, Chipungu said the ministry would publish the names in newspapers and take action regardless of the status of those implicated.
He said: “I can confirm we have ministers named in the report and other senior government officials. We will soon publish the names in the newspaper and this is my commitment.”
On why he could not release the names immediately, the minister said he was presenting a summary of the audit and that presenting the full report would take the whole day.
The audit was prompted by increasing disputes over land grabbing, double allocations, illegal ownership and fraudulent acquisition of land using fake title documents.
According to Chipungu, the audit exposed serious weaknesses in land administration, including allocations outside established procedures, doubtful surveys, questionable leases, missing records and the creation of plots in protected areas.
But the minister’s promise to disclose those implicated was met with scepticism on Nation Online Facebook page where some readers questioned whether government would expose politically-connected individuals.
“You have the names, why not just read them out loud to the media. Stop playing these games,” reacted Chiku Jere.
Another reader, Kennie Mchinanguwo Gondwe, said: “We know you can only do so when it is the opposition in question.”
Brave Nyirongo said the ministry was bound to “publish names of politicians from other parties and not DPP”.
But Chipungu insisted there would be no sacred cows, saying some officials had already been reported to police over their alleged involvement in questionable plot allocations.
He said: “I am in this office to serve Malawians as guided by the law. I have no good reason to hide these names. In the interest of transparency in land administration, we will share the names with the public.
“For your own information, I already reported some officials to police for their role in the dubious allocation of plots.”
He said government would go beyond naming those implicated by enforcing recommendations arising from the audit.
The ministry plans to revoke leases where warranted and demolish illegal developments in reserve, conservation and flood-prone areas.
Chipungu said the audit found widespread non-compliance with land laws, including unregistered plots, undeveloped land, transfers of undeveloped plots, unauthorised changes of land use and developments undertaken without planning approval.
The report also identified a non-functional Plot Allocation Committee, allocations unsupported by approved ministerial memoranda, overlapping responsibilities among land officials, doubtful survey documents and questionable acquisition of leases.
The minister said failure by successive Lands ministers to enforce legal limits on the amount of land individuals could acquire had encouraged speculation.
Chipungu said the ministry will also consolidate cadastral maps, strengthen records management and increase scrutiny of documents supporting allocations, subdivisions, extensions and amalgamations.
He further warned people who have failed to develop their plots within 24 months of receiving offers that they risk losing the land. He said those affected will be issued notices under the Land Act and given 60 days to remedy the breach before government moves to terminate their leases and withdraw the plots.
In an interview yesterday, Mzuzu University estate management expert Carol Chingamtolo Banda urged the ministry to conduct such audits periodically and update its data to detect irregularities.
She said, depending on the availability of resources, data should be updated at least every three years.
“On those with fake title deeds, the ministry needs to trace how this happened. I know this is because of corruption. Those who are involved in this process must be taken to task,” said Banda, who welcomed the ministry’s decision to take action.
Banda said as the ministry considers reviving the Plot Allocation Committee, it should ensure that the committee comprises people with integrity and is free from political pressure.
In February, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development launched a two-month land ownership audit to update records following failure by irregular landholders to voluntarily provide information during a 14-day window.
