Over one thousand (1,000) people are threatened with having their houses demolished in Luano Ward, Nchanga Constituency in Chingola on the Copperbelt.
Facts of the matter are that, a private company, Mapalo Quarries, is claiming ownership of a 95-hectare piece of land, where the houses have been constructed.
And Nchanga Member of Parliament, Derrick Chilundika noted that the aforementioned land houses a Police Post, Clinic and a Mini-Hospital, which might also be affected as the company has plans of demolishing structures in claiming back the land.
Mr Chilundika, has disputed the title of ownership by the private company alleging that it was fraudulently obtained and he has since reported Mapalo Quarries Limited to Chingola Central Police Station.
“According to the Council documentation, there are no minutes indicating that Mapalo Quarries was issued the 95-hectare piece of land, it is claiming,” Mr Chilundika explained
Meanwhile, Luano Ward Councilor Evans Simpito has appealed to the government to quickly resolve the matter as people in the area are in panic that their structures will be demolished.
The plan to demolish the over one thousand (1,000) houses in Luano Ward comes barely a month after the demolition of over three hundred (300) houses in Chingola’s Kasompe Airstrip by the Chingola Municipal Council.
On 20th August, 2022 the Chingola Municipal Council demolished over 300 structures illegally built on the Kasompe Airstrip, a land on title and belonging to Zambia Civil Aviation Authority.
The development in the area was not allocated by the Council and structures were erected without planning permission from the Local Authority hence prompting the demolition.
The Municipality, through the Department of Development Planning issued enforcement notices on 15th February, 2022 for the developers to suspend all works and demolish the structures within a period of 28 days as they were being done without planning permission required under the provisions of Section, 49(1) and (2) of the Urban and Regional Planning Act No.3 of 2015 of the Laws of Zambia.
Despite issuance of the notices and engagement with the developers to stop the illegal construction, the developers continued to erect illegal structures.
Members of the public were warned by the Local Authority to consult them when acquiring building permission before construction of structures takes place as the Municipality is mandated by Law to administer land on behalf of the Government.
The Council further reminded that the move to demolish illegal structures was not meant to injure the illegal developers but deter people from constructing structures without the Council’s approval.
Therefore, the Council stated that they will not be blamed for the demolition of structures if the developers do not adhere to the Local Authority’s instructions.
This is the lecacy of PF of Lazy Lungu and SG Mwila who openly encouraged ward councillors to sell land as a source of income
These things which go about demolishing houses need killed.
So where was that criminal which is claiming land back when they were constructing a clinic?
Just give it demolition who ever show up with a bulldozer.
In the early years of Kaunda UNIP, Our Parents used to get incentives, from the Government, in the form of building material and encouragement to build own shelter. Today, the Government greet us with a bulldozer.
A quarry is not a preferable development since the land is permanently lost and become an eye sore. Give Zambians to build their shelter and guide them on the planning. Just thinking, we need another Chiluba, the conductor, and not a successful businessman.
Even the land the MP wants to give the displaced of Kasompe belongs to someone. Sad thing is some settlers have stayed in Luano for many decades.
#2 At least he could have made an by going to court but kept quiet all these decades
Upnd has never been a party for the poor people. They despise anyone who lives in poorer areas and are out to demolish all poor areas. We warned you about them but you didn’t listen
MY QUESTION IS WHY DID PF GIVE LAND ANY HOW
THESE PEOPLE MUST SUE PF TO RECOVER THEIR LOSS
WE WILL SUPORT YOU IN THIS IM SURE
Where was the owner all this time? Why didn’t he stop people from building on his land? If he did but the people just ignored him and started building anyway then they are to blame bur if he was waiting all this time for them to finish building then claim the land then he is,the one to blame.
There was no sanity in pf govt. And the leadership concentrated more on stealing or and accummulation of personal wealth. the pf should ashamed of leaving many citizens, especially there members in a confused state. no wonder why some are even bravery following them and stealing their things incuding tvs
When did the government ever build 1,000 houses? When did anyone ever build 1,000 houses? And here we are threatening to destroy what we cant build. We are very good at acting retrogressively rather than progressively
Chingola, Chingola…why land become hop chapati suddenly? Someone explain me, please.
By the MP’s own admission the land is on title. He is disputing the title and reporting the police? How? It’s like someone disputing the ownership of your car and disputing the white book and then reporting to the police. Go to RATSA. If you dispute a title you go to the ministry of lands and resolve it there. For your information the MP knows that this land is private land and those Kapisha and Soweto residents were warned and some even had their houses demolished but they persisted. The issue of the clinic and school is a just a cover.
Zambians need to be very careful in what we are supporting. You cannot have citizens build on any seemingly open piece of land without being allocated and you support that. What if some community started building on your farm, would you support them?…
What if some community started building on your farm, would you support them? These demolitions are very much in order to restore sanity to this country and this president has my support on this one.