A land audit has uncovered encroachment on Admarc Ltd and the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) properties in Lilongwe, prompting a warning that repossessions and prosecutions will follow where wrongdoing is confirmed.
Minister of Lands Chimwemwe Chipungu confirmed the findings after he toured the encroached land at Malangalanga in Area 1 and MBC land in Area 46 as part of the audit, which is targeting illegal land purchases, double allocations and non-compliance with development conditions.
He said the exercise is also assessing whether allocated land is being used for its intended purpose and in line with approved development plans.
“This exercise is about restoring sanity in land administration. We want to know who acquired what, how they acquired it and whether they are complying with the conditions attached to that land,” Chipungu said.
The minister warned that government will not shield anyone found on the wrong side of the law, regardless of political affiliation or position.
“The law will take its course on anyone who broke it. There will be no exceptions,” Chipungu said.
He said similar inspections will be rolled out in other parts of Lilongwe and across the country, stressing that repossessions and prosecutions will follow where wrongdoing is established.
Admarc Ltd chief executive officer Ben Botolo said land grabbing at Malangalanga had previously spiralled into what he described as a chaotic rush.
“The initial situation was quite chaotic, whereby everyone wanted to grab some piece of land, especially here at Malangalanga,” Botolo said.
He noted that swift intervention by government helped stabilise the situation.
“We thank the authorities, from the Minister of Lands and the City Council,. They came in quickly after looking at the situation and the problem was put down because this is protected land,” he said.
Botolo disclosed that the land is reserved for specific Admarc Ltd development projects and should not be allocated to private individuals.
The land audit comes amid rising public concern over land grabbing, double allocations and irregular transfers, particularly in urban centres.
In an interview, Mzuzu University-based lands expert Carlo Chingamtolo Banda said repeated cases of illegal land acquisition are often linked to delayed action by government officials.
“Sometimes professionals in the land sector see encroachment on public land but take long to respond. That delay allows people to encroach further. Political influence can also play a role,” she said.
Banda also attributed non-compliance with development conditions in urban centres to weak enforcement, even though the mechanisms exist.
“Professionals are often weak in implementing them fully, which leads to breaches becoming common,” she said.
Meanwhile, Banda said land audits and site inspections are only effective if enforcement mechanisms are applied consistently and promptly.
“When someone encroaches, the law should be applied immediately. Evictions and prohibitive orders should be issued without delay and no one should be allowed to use protected land,” she said adding that selective enforcement creates a perception that illegal acquisition is tolerated.
“To avoid future encroachments, the law must apply to everyone, without exceptions,” she said.
The land audit comes amid rising public concern over land grabbing, double allocations, and irregular transfers, particularly in urban centres.
