Land registration excites communities
Communities in Chingale, Zomba District have commended the Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (Mwasip) for protecting their right to land.
They said this on Saturday during a visit to some of the beneficiaries in group village heads (GVHs) Nkasala and Fikila in Sub-Traditional Authority (ST/A) Nkapita.
One of the beneficiaries in Chinseu Village, Juliana Chilipa, said the registration exercise has brought them peace of mind as they now legally own the land.
She said: “Land is an inheritance for my children, but it was difficult to produce evidence that it is mine.
“There have been disputes with neighbours on boundaries. Even community leaders have tried to grab it. The registration has changed all that as I am the rightful owner and my children will inherit it.”
Another community member, White Mjambe from Nkasala Village, said the registration motivated them to conserve their land for enhanced agricultural productivity.
“The registered land will be in my family for many generations to come. As farmers, we are leaving no stone unturned to conserve it for sustainable economic and agricultural activities,” he said.
ST/A Nkapita customary land committee member Rose Maida said it was important for women to register their land and protect themselves from land grabbers.
ST/A Nkapita said the registration has reduced land-related disputes.
Ministry of Land senior land registrar Anthony Nzima said the exercise complements government’s efforts to have customary land registered in line with the amended land laws to protect Malawians’ right to land.
“They will get certificates of customary estates, which will give them the right to land ownership. They have security of tenure that will help them to access bank loans for various entrepreneurial dreams,” he said.
The Malawi Government is implementing the project with funding from the World Bank.
