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Minister gives developer 7 days to demolish fence

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Symon Vuwa Kaunda has given a developer, who encroached a graveyard at Kauma in Lilongwe, seven days to demolish his fence.

The minister issued the ultimatum yesterday in response to complaints from Kauma residents, through Lilongwe Central Constituency legislator Alfred Jiya, that the area is facing a huge challenge of people encroaching public land.

Vuwa-Kaunda: I came to see for myself

Speaking after touring the area, Kaunda said it was sad that people have reached the extent of selling a graveyard, leaving people stranded.

“I came to see for myself. People here at Kauma complained about a businessperson who has taken land from them, including a graveyard and people are failing to bury their dead.

“It doesn’t matter how he obtained it, but he is not supposed to develop the graveyard. If he leased it, we will cease it,” he said.

However, South Africa-based Ufulu Loga, who owns Natty Trust which is developing the place, said he will not demolish the place until government gives him a written warning. He also said he will seek legal opinion on the matter.

According to Natty Trust estate manager Henry Gwadani whom the ministers found at the disputed site, the land was acquired 10 years ago and they have been paying ground rates in excess of K1 million to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

Commenting on the issue, Jiya said he was happy with the minister’s prompt response, saying land encroachment is rife in his constituency.

Senior group village head Kauma said he was happy with the minister’s decision as they have been having problems in burying their dead.

Last month, Lilongwe City South West legislator Nancy Tembo told Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee that Livimbo school in the capital city was sold to two Malawians of Asian origin. The Anti-Corruption Bureau and Parliament have since launched respective investigations into the matter.

In October, the ministry busted a parallel ‘Lands Office’ in Lilongwe which transacted and sold plots with counterfeit documents.

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