Chakwera says Malawi has ‘crisis of greed, lawlessness’: Orders review of land laws
President Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday told parliament that the country is facing a “crisis of greed” and “lawlessness” which is affecting the land management and has ordered a review of all land law enacted by the previous regime in 2017 which he blamed to contribute to the crises.
During his second session of Question Time to the President, Chakwera observed that the land management system is “broken.”
He said: “ We have a crisis of greed.
“We have a crisis of lawlessness how people are encroaching the land that they have not acquired legally. Our land management system is broken.
Chakwera said its time to be reforming land laws and enforcing them.
“I am directing the Ministry of Land to review all land laws to address the flaws in the legislation and those laws must be ready for amendment at the next sitting of the House,” he said.
Chakwera was responding to a question from Chitipa South member of parliament (MP) Werani Chilenga (Democratic Progressive Party -DPP) who wanted to know what the President’s administration , ushered in office through the court-ordered June 23 Fresh Presidential Election, will do to ensure that contentious issues on land-related laws are sorted out.
Chilenga reminded Chakwera that while serving as Leader of Opposition in 2017 he led MPs in the opposition bloc to walk out of Parliament in protest over some provisions in the land laws.
The President said the land laws which were passed have been problematic hence calling for a review.
“I will see to it that the pilot phase of the land reforms implementation is completed before the end of the year so that the lessons from the process inform the low process,” he said.
Chakwera further said that consultations are “underway” on the three contentious issues ; sale of land to foreigners, existence of freehold land and the piece of legislation on customary land.
“These are issues that are close to me,” he said.
The Malawi leader specifically cited the Registered Land Act, Forestry Act, Local Government Act, Public Road Act and Malawi Housing Act as the laws to be reviewed.
He said several stakeholders including some traditional leaders have complained about the land laws mostly due to inadequate consultations hence the need to sanitise the land administration process in the country which is fraught with corruption.
Responding to a question from Mulanje Bale MP Victor Musowa (Democratic Progressive Party-DPP) on government’s policy to old buildings lying in prime areas in cities, Chakwera attributed this to some mistaken view that democracy means no respect of law of authority.
“We must do what is right for this nation. We do have plans; let our cities become beautiful cities. This is our country and we need to be proud of our cities. Let our cities follow the necessary legislation and laws” he said
He further stated that issues of land ownership in Thyolo and other places need to be followed to enable the locals own estates through the sale of shares and urged investors to come to Malawi.
Chakwera also disclosed that he has held meetings with leader of the Peoples Land Organisation (PLO) Vincent Wandale over land matters before he became Head of State and recently while at Plot Number 1.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Based on our population Malawi is not all that small and can accommodate up to 100 million people if land is properly zoned and planned. Take for instance the cities of Blantyre & Lilongwe, the projections are that by the year 2100 they will be amongst the top 100 highly populated cities in the world both with over 30 million inhabitants each but nothing is being done in preparation. Instead of making the whole Blantyre district a planned area and moving Lilongwe city boundary to Nathenje , Msundwe and Mponela all they are doing is making infill plots and demarcation… Read more »
In terms of lawlessness it is you and your gangster group HRDC who fueled this ..so you should expect more from Malawians
Especially from frustrated DPP after loosing Election and the inner fighting coming up from the same!!!
You are worth of my vote is pass the laws that that protects africans. Do forget that you are also ann african and this is africa. Bob marley said dont you forget no way who you are or where you stand in the struggle.
This is Great news Mr President.Protect Malawi from foreigners especially indians omwe kwao sangakulole kuti ugule malo olo utakhalala ndi ndalama.The land belongs to uor children.Lets not colonise our self in the name of development. If we cant develop the land our children shall do it. Mr President you are a true patriot. Even businesses such as stationary,making of bottled water, construction, supplies, retail, wholesale, transportation except for manufacturing must be restricted to the indegenous
Malawi and Malawian should be protected from selfish people like you who only think about you and nothing else. Why do you think in the national anthem it says njala, nthenda.. nsanje (envy) it a prayer especially for people like you who are envious. Malawi and Malawian should have laws that restrict Malawian politicians from saying “yes to corruption”. To no to corruption!
My brother, indians buy from indians, Japnese hsve their own circle and so whites have they own cicles unless they dont have it the y buy from within their circles, the have business inteligence.Thats the way things work in the world. am saying we should do the same, why is that hard to see. Why are we being stupid? Why do we have Selfhate towards ourself
I once gave my car for service in malangalanga to support Malawian only to later on learn that they had removed some of my cars original suspension parts and replaced it with old ones and that is why I now service it with a mwenye and ever since I haven’t had any problems. Yes I understand that he may have done this because of being poor but still that does not give him any right to steal. Being poor does not give you right to steal.
you have no idea what is going on in the world and how things wake out. i recommend you do your research on the people you are defending and how that will help you.What benefit will you get from those people
Kikkkkkkk ameneyo ndiye mMalawi,the laws of the land were only to benefit the DPP mafia Government, i tell you that some coming ahead, Malawians will be by the Land from outsiders because of what the President has said [greed]. i just wish if it could be possible what ever land was bought during the DPP reign should be reversed! The process should be started again. The DPP was full of none citizens who just came to steal from Malawians by bringing poverty so that they should buy cheaper land from them! that is what has happened with the issue of… Read more »