National News

Kadzamira land wrangle case awaits judgement

The High Court of Malawi has concluded hearing the land dispute case invol v ing the Elias Kaphwiti Banda family and former official government hostess Mama Cecilia Tamanda Kadzamira over ownership of Tichitenji Estate in Mchinji.

Presiding Judge Simeone Mdeza told parties to the case in Lilongwe yesterday that the court will in due course set a date for ruling on the matter.

Kadzamira: Farm was a gift from Kamuzu Banda.

Kadzamira took the matter to court, accusing the Kaphwiti Banda family of trespassing on the Tichitenji Estate on the basis that they were the rightful owners of the estate.

Duri ng hea r i ng , i t w a s submitted that Ministry of Lands erred to grant Kadzamira, who was founding president Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s confidante, lease ownership of the said farm when there was another lease over the same land given to the Kaphwiti Banda family earlier on.

One of the Kaphwiti Banda family witnesses, Eric Mateyu yesterday told the court that the estate was taken away from the Kaphwiti Bandas by Kamuzu when the owner was in political exile.

During the ex aminat ion, Ministry of Lands deputy director for legal services Yohane Dzowa also said the Kaphwiti Bandas obtained the lease for the estate earlier than Kamuzu.

He said: “The estate was leased to Kaphwiti Banda in 1967 and was not cancelled at any point in time.

“It was on November 7 1972 when the lease of Kamuzu Banda was obtained and presented for stamping on this date. It was later presented for registration on November 8 1972.”

Co u r t d o cument s s h ow that Kaphwiti Banda secured ownership of the 583 771 acres of land in 1968 at Kadzamira Village, Traditional Authority Kawere in Mchinji.

In her affidavit, Kadzamira said Kamuzu gave her the estate as a gift.

Records show that her title deed was executed in 1982, but she registered it seven years later in 1989.

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